I think Professor Landis will be looking to hire a proof-reader

“Does the US Embassy is Attacked Help the Syrian Opposition or the Regime?”

I really can’t see how a group of people who already think that Papa Assad is a latter day saint, can have their positions hardened more than it already is. The preservation of Hama as a center of dissent, far outweighs any supposed “gains” junior would like to make.

At best, such “gains” would be intangible. But hundreds of thousands of people out demonstrating in Hama, that is very, very tangible.

Dear me, look at the graffiti on the embassy walls; “F— You America” and “The people want the expulsion of the dog”

Shameful, truly and utterly deplorable.

Check out the moment the french start shooting from the embassy.
One person from the embassy wanted to throw a chair over the protesters.

السوريون يعتصمون بغضب أمام سفارتي أمريكا وفرنسا
http://youtu.be/VnXqSnzkK00?t=3m37s

Smart move by Assad. This should really help tourism to Syria. Plus it is always a great idea to alienate the public of the EU and the US. I am sure it will get the Assad regime a lot of great press..

Awesome night-rally in the Homs neighborhood of Baba Amr. Oh dear, tanks and military blockades don’t seem to be working too well for junior. What a surprise (to anyone with an IQ below 50)

@3 Half of fighting a war is the mistakes your enemy is going to obligingly make, and in this regard junior is the Santa Clause of screw ups. Seriously, from 15 kids in Dara to….this. Syrian political history has never seen anyone fall so far, so fast.

I’m not sure about this news but worth posting:

المطران لوقا الخوري يقوم بطرد السفير الامريكي من كنيسة الصليب بالقصاع اثناء زيارته للكنيسة للمباركة برسامة الاساقفة الثلاثة..

I wonder how long can Mahatma Ford stay in Syria after all these attacks.

WD,
What do you think will happen if Syria asked the american to close their embassy and leave?

Ya haram, mu ma´aqul, am birushu mai bil nabrij wa am bisittu hajar, Uliiii. Hai baddu mahkamet dwalia.

We saw the same movement against embassies of Denmark and other countries in the past. That time they were MB students driven by moukhabajart I believe. The building was burn down.

Now, they come again with US and France.

There is a strange obsession in violating private property.

I guess when they target syrians they just detain and torture under their laws. But when it comes to foreginers they cannot proceed the same way and the only possible way is by burning and destroying properties. The future is virtual embassy on the web page.

Aboud
So now we know what was behind Ford’s Facebook note; the US government have stopped giving a rat’s a** about junior.

You vengeful human, Ok, you got your revenge on behalf of humanity. Stop using my rat’s a** and to junior’s name in the same prose.

Double Agents Intrigue:

عهد الهندي : عضو مؤتمر انطاليا اخوان مسلمين وهو أحد المقربين من عبد الرزاق عيد ضبط من قبل فرع الكمبيوتر في المخابرات السورية قبل سنوات وهو يقوم بإتصالات مع شبكة لجهاز الموساد في أحد مقاهي الأنترنت في دمشق الأمر الذي أدى لإعتقاله بضعة أسابيع بعدها تم إبرام صفقة معه وإرساله للخارج بسبب إجادته اللغة الإنكليزية حيث تحول لعميل مزدوج بعد أن باشر العمل مع وكالة المخابرات المركزية الأمريكية

So let me get this straight

An MB man gets cought, by syrian computer intelligence (Father of Syrian Electronic Army), communicating with MOSSAD in a Damascus Internet Caffe
Man is jailed for few weeks, not executed
Man is released because he is … Good in English
Man, good in english, sent abroad as an agent for Syria because of his good english
Abroad, man with good english decides to work for CIA
CIA hires man, loving his good english?

And you wonder why Mughnya, Suleiman, a big shot Russian General ARE ALL DEAD, and there there is/was a big gaping hall in the desert somwhere near Dair Elzor ?

On the positive side, Joshua can hire man with good English to proofread today’s post.

Nop, really, not concluding wisecrack

AMBASSADOR FORDS IS A ZIONIST! http://thenakedfacts.blogspot.com/2011/07/tens-of-thousands-protest-u.html
MORE SYRIA LEADERS EXPOSED!!! http://thenakedfacts.blogspot.com/2011/07/syrian-opposition-cancer-dissectednow.html

One of the most prolific is Ausama Monajed- [WHO IS AUSAMA MONAJED? Head of public relations at the MJD( Movement for Justice and Development in Syria) [THIS MJD- U.S. has provided at least $6 million to Barada TV to broadcasts anti-government news into Syria,Malik al-Abdeh, is a cofounder of the Syrian exile group Movement for Justice and Development. http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=documents-show-us-funding-syrian-opposition-2011-04-18

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Monajed, a professed devotee of non-violent protest guru Gene Sharp [WHO WAS GENE SHARP?] 1974-76, Rockefeller Foundation fellow!!! Gene Sharp and company in “color revolutions” http://louisproyect.wordpress.com/2011/02/21/gene-sharps-goal-liberty-in-a-world-of-market-imperatives/ [ONE DOWN!]

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Wissam Tarif, the Lebanese-born executive director of the international human rights organization Insan, also plays an important role [who is Wissam? Wissam Tarif, the Lebanese-born executive director of the international human rights organization Insan [WHO IS ”ISAN”? http://www.insanintl.com/page-7-.html INSAN began in 2001 as an awareness and ”educational project in Syria” under the name ‘LCCI.’ [WHO IS LCCI? London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) qualifications launched in Syria http://www.bi-me.com/main.php?id=3439&t=1 The lobbying and opinion-forming organization which was born from this endeavor was to be called ‘FDPOC’

[WHO IS BEHIND ”FDPOC”? http://lobbying-fdpoc.blogspot.com/ (DISCREDITTED GLOBALIST FRONT)Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)/(DISCREDITTED FRONT)Human Rights Watch http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Human_Rights_Watch /(DISCREDITTED FRONT )Amnesty International http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.phptitle=Amnesty_International /(NEOCON/ZIONIST FRONT,FUNDED BY”NED”)National Democratic Center Institute for International Affairs http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Democratic_Institute_for_International_Affairs [TWO DOWN!]

Abdul Halim Khaddam, former Vice President of Syria…[WHO IS KHADDAM”? ..Relative of Saudi King Abdullah and former Lebanese premier Rafiq Hariri http://thenakedfacts.blogspot.com/2011/06/conspiracy-or-notneocon-think.html KHADDAM AND MB EXPOSED http://thenakedfacts.blogspot.com/2011/07/mb-syria-leader-is-mistaking-his.html Khaddam and National Salvation Front Exposed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJVzMnRUbrI [THREE DOWN!]

Few more days until rumors from alsham becomes news,good news I heard.

P.ALI
AND…..
Is that the most recent report from Syrian computer intelligence?
Somehow I wonder why HRW is always an outsider outfit, even in the good old US.

Dumb me, they expose abuse..

If the attack to a foreign embassy is something the regime can beneffit from, then the next step should be impalling the ambassador at Marje Square, ottoman style. But it should be made by angry masses of course, not by occidental educated elites in the government. What a shame for the arab pride, arab elites should be arab educated.

Neither,the only thing is it will give the west a taste of their own medicine(Democracy and freedom).

SIMON

I did not know freedom and democracy meant assaulting foreign properties. I thought it was fair trials, freedom of expression, fair and plural elections, respect for basic human rights, etc. But it is interesting to know what these concepts mean for some syrians since this may be the reason why there is no agreement.

Are not you really able to notice that Syrian regime is being ridiculized in the whole world?. Most people who felt some respect for anti imperialist Assad politics in the past now comes and ask me where has come from this kind of crazy, criminal and abusive dictatorship.

I see “freedom and democracy” is only accepted when assaulting ‘domestic’ properties.
How genuine!

كلينتون ترد على اقتحام السفارتين: الأسد فقد شرعيته
دمشق: اللقاء التشاوري يختلف على البيان الختامي لجنة لتوسيع الحوار … ومخاوف من «اجتثاث البعث»

زياد حيدر
لم يحظ البيان الختامي الذي أعدته هيئة الإشراف على الحوار بأي تأييد يذكر من المشاركين في «اللقاء التشاوري»، وتنوعت توصيفاته بـ«المحبط» و«المخيب» و«غير المقبول»، ما استدعى الاتفاق بعد نقاش طويل على تشكيل لجنة صياغة طوعية تعرض نتيجة اللقاء اليوم بعد تمديد الاجتماع ليوم إضافي.
في هذا الوقت، اتهمت الولايات المتحدة وفرنسا سوريا بعدم حماية سفارتيهما في دمشق، اللتين هاجمهما محتجون غاضبون من زيارتي السفيرين الأميركي روبرت فورد والفرنسي اريك شوفالييه إلى حماه الجمعة الماضي. وأدى الاحتجاج إلى تدمير الواجهة الخارجية لمبنى السفارة الأميركية، فيما أصيب ثلاثة من عناصر السفارة الفرنسية وثلاثة مواطنين سوريين برصاص حراس السفارة.
وشنت وزيرة الخارجية الأميركية هيلاري كلينتون هجوماً على الرئيس السوري بشار الأسد، معتبرة أنه «فقد شرعيته» وذلك في موقف هو الأول من نوعه بعد أربعة أشهر من بدء الاحتجاجات في سوريا.
وقالت كلينتون، خلال مؤتمر صحافي مشترك مع وزيرة خارجية الاتحاد الأوروبي كاثرين آشتون في واشنطن، «لقد فقد شرعيته، لقد أخفق في الوفاء بوعوده، لقد سعى إلى مساعدة إيران وقبل بذلك لقمع شعبه».
وأضافت «لو اعتقد أحد، بمن في ذلك الرئيس الأسد، أن الولايات المتحدة تأمل سراً أن يخرج ذلك النظام من هذه الفوضى كي يواصل وحشيته وقمعه فهو مخطئ». وتابعت «الرئيس الأسد ليس شخصاً لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه، ولا نعوّل في شيء على بقائه في السلطة مطلقاً»، مضيفة إن «هدفنا هو تحقيق إرادة الشعب السوري بتحوّل ديموقراطي». واتهمت النظام «بالسعي إلى تحويل الأنظار عن القمع الذي يمارسه عبر مهاجمة السفارتين الأميركية والفرنسية». وكررت المطالبة بوقف أعمال العنف في سوريا.
وكانت هيئة الحوار، التي يترأسها نائب الرئيس السوري فاروق الشرع، وزعت بيانا عن اجتماعاتها أمس، يركز على أن غاية اللقاء التشاوري في النهاية هي مؤتمر وطني يعقد بعد إتمام الاتصالات اللازمة، فيما نص على رفع الملاحظات التي سجلت على مشاريع قوانين الإعلام والأحزاب والانتخابات إلى اللجان المختصة لأخذها بالاعتبار. كما أخذ البيان «بالنقاش» الذي جرى حول الحاجة إلى تعديلات دستورية، داعيا إلى تشكيل لجنة قانونية تراجع الدستور والتعديلات اللازمة بغاية الوصول إلى مجتمع تعددي ديموقراطي.
وأنهى الشرع النقاش حين أكد أن «مجرد عقد هذا اللقاء نجاح»، وطلب تشكيل لجنة صياغة، تأخذ بالاعتبار الملاحظات التي استمع لها.
وأثار كلام بعض ممثلي حزب البعث العربي الاشتراكي، في اللقاء التشاوري الذي يواصل لقاءاته لليوم الثاني على التوالي في مجمع صحارى، استياء بقية المشاركين، ولا سيما في دفاعهم عن المادة الثامنة من الدستور، وإنذارهم المتكرر بأن إلغاءها هو بمثابة «نسف نظام البلد السياسي» و«التهديد بانهيار السلم الأهلي»، فيما ذهب البعض إلى حد اعتبارها بمثابة دعوة لـ«اجتثاث البعث» الأمر الذي دفع رئيس اللقاء فاروق الشرع للتدخل، بأن أحدا لا يطالب بهذا وان مجرد الحديث عن الاجتثاث يكرسه، مشيرا إلى أهمية دور البعث ليس في سوريا فحسب، بل حتى بـ«عودته» إلى العراق.
وشغلت هذه المادة وموضوع التحضير لمؤتمر الحوار الوطني المشاركين، فيما انتقد البعض قانون الأحزاب، ولا سيما مادتين تمثلان أساس الملاحظات التي سجلت عليه شعبيا، وتتعلقان باشتراط وجود ألفي شخص لتأسيس حزب ينتمون إلى نصف المحافظات السورية.
وسجل أمس الاتفاق على تشكيل هيئة منبثقة عن اللقاء تقوم بمتابعة التحضير لمؤتمر وطني يمكن أن ينضم لها آخرون لاحقا، كما هيئة من الشباب المشاركين تعمل على الاتصال مع مجموعات أخرى موجودة في الشارع. وعلمت «السفير» أن الهيئة الأولى ستعمل على وضع أسس مؤتمر وطني في أقرب فرصة ممكنة، وأن نقاشاتها تتعلق بالنظر لآخر الشهر الحالي كموعد مقترح، على أن يسبق ذلك تقديم اللجنة الدستورية رؤيتها للدستور الجديد المطلوب، علما بأن ثمة من استمر بالمطالبة بتعديلات دستورية تطرح على استفتاء أو مجلس الشعب، فيما سجلت اعتراضات من قبيل أن مواد الدستور مترابطة ومن الصعب فصلها عن بعضها البعض.
وكان اليوم الثاني للقاء التشاوري بدأ في العاشرة من صباح أمس بحضور نائب الرئيس وأعضاء هيئة الحوار، كما المستشارة الرئاسية بثينة شعبان وبقية المشاركين. وأطلع أعضاء لجنة مشروع الأحزاب سام دلة وفاروق أبو الشامات الموجودين على أهم نقاط القانون الذي يفترض أن يسمح بالتعددية السياسية في سوريا، كما بأهم الاشتراطات التي تحدد هده العملية، ومن بينها اشتراط عدم تشكيل أحزاب على أساس عرقي أو مذهبي أو فئوي أو مناطقي أو ديني، وضرورة ان يلتزم كل حزب جديد بأحكام الدستور واحترام الحريات العالمية لحقوق الإنسان والاتفاقيات الدولية.
وقال أبو الشامات ان ابرز الاعتراضات التي تم تسجيلها على القانون المنشور على موقع الكتروني حكومي هو اشتراط وجود حد أدنى كألفي شخص لتشكيل حزب، كما الإشارة إلى ضرورة إلغاء المادة الثامنة من الدستور. كما اطلع الموجودون على أهم ما يميز قانون الانتخابات أيضا، والذي طرح لإبداء الرأي لمن يرغب.
إلا أن التعديلات الدستورية، كما قانون الأحزاب، ظلت نجمة الجلسة التي تميزت بالكثير من المقاطعات وتسجيل نقاط النظام على طريقة الإدارة، كما بعض الاتهامات المتبادلة والتهديد بالانسحاب لأسباب من قبيل عدم السماح بأكثر من ثلاث دقائق من الحديث. وبين من فعلوا: المشارك آزاد علي الذي دعا لـ«بناء الثقة وتعزيزها بين الأطراف السورية»، مطالبا «بتعديل المادة الثالثة من الدستور التي تحدد دين رئيس السوريين لتساوي بين جميع السوريين»، مطالبا أيضا «بتسوية المسألة الكردية دستوريا».
من جهتها، طالبت الأكاديمية نجوى قصاب حسن «بأن يستمر الحوار عبر تأسيس لجان موسعة تضم خبراء في القانون والدستور لتقوم بمهام بحث معمق في المسائل التي ترتبط بمواضيعه». أما جمال محمود فأبدى ملاحظات على قانون الأحزاب، مشيرا إلى بند من الفقرة الخامسة لمسودة القانون ينص على «ألا تنضوي الأحزاب على تشكيلات عسكرية أو غير عسكرية»، معتبرا إياها «مبهمة» متسائلا «هل يعني هذا منع الأحزاب من النشاط وسط القوات المسلحة». كما طالب بتحديد سقف الهبات والتعويضات الممنوحة للأحزاب. وتساءل إن كان القانون سينطبق على الأحزاب الموجودة حاليا باعتبارها «مرخصة أو غير مرخصة؟».
أما عبد العزيز يونس فرأى ضرورة تعديل شرط وجود الألفي عضو لتشكيل حزب، كما الفقرة المتعلقة بمشاركة ممثلين عن المحافظات «لتعذرها كرديا»، معتبرا أن هذا بمثابة «استبعاد للأكراد»، مطالبا في الوقت ذاته «بالقدرة على تشكيل أحزاب قومية، فما المانع من وجود حزب كردي أو آشوري..؟» خصوصا أن بعضها «موجود كأمر واقع» في إشارة للأحزاب الكردية غير المرخصة.
من جهته اقترح الشاب أدهم الخطيب «عدم قبول الموظفين الأمنيين والعسكريين في الأحزاب» كما «عدم استخدام أماكن العبادة للدعاية الحزبية». أما حماد سعود، ممثل الفلاحين من البعثيين، فأعلن أن «عمال وفلاحي البعث يرفضون إلغاء المادة الثامنة باعتبار ذلك نسفا للنظام السياسي القائم»، ما دفع المفكر طيب تيزيني للرد على هذه النقطة، مشيرا إلى أن المادة الثامنة هي التي «أسقطت السوفياتي. سقط بفعل هيمنة مادة مشابهة». وتساءل «من هم هؤلاء؟ هل هم آلهة؟ ثم المادة هي مادة التميز الأبدي، وهذا مخالف لطبيعة الأشياء ولشعب يقر بأنه قائم على التعددية». ورأى أن المادة هي «جوهر ما ينبغي الإطاحة به لأن الحزب الحقيقي ليس من يتوارث الأدوار وإنما يعيش نشاطا حقيقيا». من جهتها طالبت الكاتبة جورجيت عطية بوقف الحل الأمني والإفراج عن المعتقلين في فترة الاحتجاجات «لنثبت للشارع أننا نسمع مطلبه جيدا».
وفيما كانت اللجنة منشغلة بمداخلاتها سعى السياسي الشيوعي قدري جميل الى تجميع تواقيع مجموعة من المشاركين للوقوف خلف اقتراحه بتشكيل هيئة عن اللقاء تقوم بمتابعة العمل على وضع أسس الحوار الوطني، كما الاتفاق على الحاجة لدستور جديد لسوريا لا مجرد تعديلات دستورية، ما لفت أنظار اللجنة المنظمة، لتصله دعوى من هيئة الحوار للقاء مغلق لمناقشة اقتراحه، والذي تم التوافق عليه ليعلن لاحقا ويخضع للتصويت إضافة لتشكيل لجنة مشابهة من الشباب تقوم بالاتصال مع الشباب من المحتجين. كما تم التصويت في الجلسة على ترؤس إحدى الجلسات لفتاة من الشباب، وهو ما جرى بإدارة الشابة هبة بيطار.
وشرح جميل لاحقا غايته من الاقتراحات التي وقع عليها كل من المحامي إبراهيم دراجي والإعلامي عبد السلام هيكل بأن «مهمتنا الأساسية هي الاستعداد للحوار الوطني الشامل»، مقترحا «الاتفاق هنا على أن المطلوب هو دستور جديد للبلاد تتم صياغته بالطرق المناسبة من جهات صاحبة العلاقة، وأن يعرض على استفتاء عام في البلاد»، و«تشكل لجنة من هذا المؤتمر قوامها من الشباب للتواصل مع المجتمع وحركة الشارع لتهيئة الظروف والآليات لتمثيلهم في مؤتمر وطني شامل إن أردنا أن يكون المؤتمر مؤتمرا حقيقيا».
وعلق مصدر من هيئة الحوار على هذا الأمر لـ«السفير» بأن ثمة ميلا لدى الغالبية «نحو تغيير الدستور بدلا عن التعديل»، حيث تشير المعلومات الى وجود اقتراحين أحدهما التعديل والثاني التغيير، إلا أن الأفكار ظلت خاضعة للظروف لا العكس حيث يتساءل البعض إن «كانت الظروف الأمنية تسمح بحصول استفتاء».
من جهته، رأى الإعلامي أنس أزرق أن فكرة الإبقاء على المادة الثامنة يمكن أن تكون لها نتائج سلبية على مستقبل البلاد، إضافة لأنها لا «تحقق المساواة بين كل السوريين»، لكن البعثي عزت كنج عارض الإلغاء محذرا من محاولات «اجتثاث البعث» مشيرا الى أنه «لا يمكن أن نسمح بالتنازل عن مكاسبنا خلال العقود الماضية»، ما دفع بالشرع للتدخل مؤكدا «أن أحدا لم يطرح فكرة اجتثاث البعث، ومن يتحدث في هذه المادة فكأنما يطرحها للتداول، وهذا خطأ»، معتبرا أن «حزب البعث بدأ يستعيد مكانته في العراق».
بدوره، قال النائب محمد حبش الذي ترأس الجلسة ان أحدا «لا ينكر دور الحزب القومي النضالي (البعث) وتاريخه والبعض يظن أننا هنا لاجتثاث البعث ولا بد من توضيح هذه النقطة».
وكانت صيغة البيان الختامي التي وزعت في نهاية اللقاء، ولم تحظ بالإجماع، دعت إلى «توسيع ومتابعة الاتصالات مع الشخصيات الوطنية للتحضير المشترك لمؤتمر الحوار الوطني الذي سيعقد فور استكمال هذه الاتصالات».
أما بخصوص القوانين التي تمت مناقشتها، فأوصى البيان بأخذ الملاحظات التي طرحت بشأن «الوصول لتوافق وطني بشأنها»، فتم الاتفاق على أن تطلب هيئة الحوار من اللجان المكلفة إعداد القوانين تقديم الصياغة الأخيرة لها تمهيدا لإصدارها.
أما دستوريا، فأشار البيان إلى رفع الملاحظات حول بعض مواد الدستور إلى «لجنة قانونية لمراجعة كافة مواد الدستور، وتقديم المقترحات الكفيلة بإقامة مجتمع تنموي ديموقراطي دستوري وتعددي يحقق العدالة الاجتماعية ويضمن الحقوق الأساسية للإنسان، ويمكّن المرأة ويعتني بالشباب والطفولة ويحدد واجبات المواطنين على قدم المساواة بين الجميع».
وقد بدأ المفكر الطيب تيزيني بالاعتراض رافضا عدم إشراك الجميع في الصياغة، فيما اعتبر قدري جميل أن البيان لا يعكس زخم النقاشات، ودعا حبش إلى ضرورة الإعلان عن تشكيل مجلس أعلى لحقوق الإنسان، فيما رأى المؤرخ سامي مبيض أن البيان «محبط». ودعا في النهاية نائب الرئيس السوري الى تشكيل لجنة صياغة للبيان يتم تحديد أعضائها طوعا. وتدخل الشرع لاحقا ليطلب تشكيل لجنة صياغة تأخذ بالاعتبار الملاحظات التي تم إعلانها بخصوصه على أن تعلن اليوم.
من جهة ثانية، ذكرت وكالة الأنباء السورية (سانا) أن رئيس الحكومة عادل سفر «اصدر قرارا شكل بموجبه لجنة برئاسة معاون وزير الداخلية للشؤون المدنية وعضوية ممثلين عن وزارتي الخارجية والمغتربين والعدل، تكون مهمتها دراسة مشروع القانون المعد من قبل الاتحاد العام النسائي، والمتضمن تعديل المادة ثلاثة من قانون الجنسية الصادر بالمرسوم التشريعي الرقم 267 لعام 1969 وكذلك منح الجنسية العربية السورية لأبناء المرأة السورية المتزوجة ممن يحمل الجنسية غير السورية. وترفع اللجنة نتائج عملها إلى رئيس مجلس الوزراء خلال مدة أسبوع من تاريخه، وتستعين بمن تراه مناسبا لإنجاز أعمالها».
هجوم على السفارتين
الأميركية والفرنسية
قالت وزارة الخارجية الأميركية (ا ف ب، رويترز، ا ب) ان حشودا هاجمت مجمع السفارة ومنزل السفير الأميركي لكن لم يصب أي من العاملين فيهما، ولم يتعرض لأي خطر داهم. وقال متحدث باسم الوزارة، في بيان، «قامت محطة تلفزيون متأثرة بشدة بالسلطات السورية بالتشجيع على هذا الاحتجاج العنيف». وأضاف «ندين بشدة رفض الحكومة السورية حماية سفارتنا، ونطالب بتعويضات عن الأضرار. وندعو الحكومة السورية لتنفيذ التزاماتها تجاه مواطنيها أيضا».
وأضافت وزارة الخارجية ان مجمع السفارة «أصيب ببعض الأضرار المادية» في الهجوم الذي أشار إلى زيادة التوتر بين واشنطن ودمشق. وتابعت «السلطات السورية كانت بطيئة في الرد باتخاذ الإجراءات الأمنية الإضافية اللازمة»، معتبرة أن الحكومة السورية امتنعت عن تنفيذ التزاماتها الدولية بحماية المنشآت الدبلوماسية.
وأعلنت واشنطن أنها ستقدم احتجاجا رسميا إلى سوريا، مشيرة إلى أنها تريد تعويضات عما وصفته بهجوم لحوالى 300 «قاطع طريق» اخترقوا الجدار الخارجي لمجمع السفارة قبل أن يقوم عناصر المارينز بتفريقهم.
كما هاجم محتجون مقر السفارة الفرنسية أيضا. وكتب المحتجون، الذين رفعوا العلم السوري بدلا من الفرنسي، «الله، سوريا، وبشار. ان الأمة التي أنجبت بشاراً لن تركع». وقال شاهد لوكالة «اسوشييتد برس» ان ثلاثة محتجين أصيبوا بعد أن ضربهم الحراس بالهراوات. وقالت هيام الحسان ان «السوريين تظاهروا سلميا امام السفارة الفرنسية لكنهم تعرضوا لاطلاق نار».
وقال المتحدث باسم الخارجية الفرنسية برنار فاليرو إن قوات الأمن السورية تقاعست عن حماية السفارة الفرنسية في دمشق وقنصليتها في حلب بعد إحراق الأعلام الفرنسية ورشق المباني بمقذوفات وتدمير عربات. وأضاف «بالتأكيد لم يكن البقال القريب هو الذي جاء للتظاهر تأييدا لفرنسا أو ضدها. هؤلاء الناس لم يأتوا بطريق الصدفة»، معتبرا أن حماية البعثات الدبلوماسية مسؤولية سوريا، مشيرا إلى إصابة 3 من حراس السفارة بجروح وان حرس السفارة أطلقوا ذخيرة حية لمنع حشد من اقتحامها. وتابع ان فرنسا «تذكر (سوريا) بأنه ليس بهذه الأساليب غير المشروعة يمكن للسلطات في دمشق أن تحول الانتباه بعيدا عن المشكلة الأساسية التي تتمثل في وقف قمع الشعب السوري وبدء إصلاح ديموقراطي».
وذكرت «سانا» ان «المئات من المواطنين اعتصموا أمام القنصلية الفرنسية في حلب تنديدا بالدور الذي تلعبه الحكومة الفرنسية في تأجيج الرأي العام العالمي ضد سوريا ومحاولاتها المستمرة للتدخل بشؤونها الداخلية».
واعتبر وزير الدفاع الفرنسي جيرار لونغيه في مقابلة مع صحيفة «لو فيغارو» تنشرها اليوم إن أي عمل جوي ضد سوريا «لن يحلّ شيئاً على الإطلاق» مذكراً بأنه على الصعيد الدبلوماسي «لا يمكن أن يبقى مجلس الأمن صامتاً».

http://www.assafir.com/Article.aspx?EditionId=1893&articleId=1275&ChannelId=44625&Author=%D8%B2%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AF%20%D8%AD%D9%8A%D8%AF%D8%B1

أوغلو ينفي الخلافات مع طهران حول سوريا:
المنطقة بحاجة لهيكليات جديدة لا دور فيها للأجنبي

قال أمين المجلس الاعلى للامن القومي الايراني سعيد جليلي خلال استقباله وزير الخارجية التركي أحمد داود اوغلو في طهران امس، إن «يقظة» الثورات في المنطقة ازاء «مؤامرات أميركا المفضوحة» ستحول دون استمرار الهيمنة الغربية على المنطقة. وكان داود اوغلو قد التقى وزير الخارجية الايراني علي أكبر صالحي أمس الاول، وقال إن سوريا وايران وتركيا، تنتمي الى «عائلة واحدة»، وأكد رفض أنقرة «التدخلات الأجنبية» في أحداث المنطقة.
وأكد جليلي، لدى استقباله داود اوغلو في مكتبه في طهران، «ان شعوب المنطقة تعتقد أن الكيان الصهيوني عدو للسلام والاستقرار والهدوء في المنطقة»، بحسب ما نقلت وكالة «مهر» الايرانية للأنباء. وحذر جليلي من ان «اميركا والكيان الصهيوني تسعيان الى حرف مسار الصحوات الشعبية في المنطقة»، موضحا «انهما تحاولان القضاء على حالة مناهضة الاستكبار ومناهضة الصهيونية لدى الشعوب أو حرفها عن مسارها».
وشدد أمين المجلس الاعلى للأمن القومي على «ان عمق الصحوات الشعبية في المنطقة ويقظتها ازاء مؤامرات اميركا المفضوحة سيحولان دون استمرار هيمنة الديكتاتورية العالمية على المنطقة». واعتبر جليلي ان «التخلي عن التبعية ونيل الاستقلال السياسي والاقتصادي وامتلاك الشعوب المسلمة زمام امورها بيدها تمثل المطالب المشتركة لجميع شعوب المنطقة».
وعن «تحركات بعض الدول ضد جبهة المقاومة»، قال جليلي «ان بعض الانظمة الديكتاتورية التي يخلو تاريخها من ادنى قدر من الديموقراطية، تعمل حاليا ضمن اطار السياسات الاميركية ـ الصهيونية».
من جانبه، أشار داود اوغلو خلال هذا اللقاء الى التطورات الاقليمية، وأكد ضرورة مواصلة التشاور والتنسيق بين انقرة وطهران في هذا الشأن. واضاف ان «المنطقة بحاجة الى هيكليات جديدة ليس فيها اي دور للاجنبي».
وكان داود اوغلو التقى صالحي، الذي قال إنهما بحثا التطورات الجارية في المنطقة والأوضاع في سوريا. وقال وزير الخارجية التركي إن «منطقتنا تشهد عملية تغيير تاريخية»، معتبرا أن على كل دول المنطقة «أن تبذل جهودا لاستعادة بنية مزدهرة، مسالمة، ومستقرة، في هذه العملية». وأضاف داود أوغلو ان «شعوبا في دول عدة من المنطقة لديها مطالب محقة وشرعية»، موضحا أن «هذه المطالب يجب أن تتحول إلى عملية إصلاحية بأساليب سلمية».
وبحسب وكالة «ارنا» الايرانية للأنباء، قال داود اوغلو ردا على سؤال حول وجود خلافات في وجهات النظر بين ايران وتركيا حول سوريا «ان سوريا بلد صديق وعزيز للغاية لتركيا وكذلك لايران». ووصف سوريا وايران وتركيا بالمنتمين إلى «عائلة واحدة»، مضيفا «انه لو حدثت مشكلة ما في العائلة فان عليهم ان يتحركوا لايجاد حل لها». أما وكالة أنباء «الأناضول» التركية، فنسبت هذا التصريح لوزير الخارجية الايراني علي أكبر صالحي. كما التقى داود اوغلو رئيس مجلس الشورى الإسلامي في ايران، علي لاريجاني.
وفي سياق آخر، قال جليلي خلال الملتقى الأول للقوة البحرية الاستراتيجية إن «ايران ستستفيد من البحر، استفادة قصوى في أي مواجهة وتعامل استراتيجي»، مضيفا «ان نطاق تحركاتنا البحرية لن تقتصر على الخليج الفارسي وبحر عمان». كما أعلن قائد القوات البحرية الايراني التابعة للجيش، العميد حبيب الله سياري ان القوات البحرية تستعد للانتشار المكثف في المياه الحرة والدولية.

http://www.assafir.com/Article.aspx?EditionId=1893&ChannelId=44631&ArticleId=1231&Author=

Dear Usama,
Aunty Hilary and Aunty Ashton, after counting endlessly for four month, declared that the Syrian president is ‘Illegitimate’ what do you think their next step will be since they dropped the ‘I’ word after such long threatening?
Thank you

@7 “You vengeful human, Ok, you got your revenge on behalf of humanity. Stop using my rat’s a** and to junior’s name in the same prose.”

:p

Amazing how the regime loves to bring in ambassadors to Jisr al Shoghour (after it’s been “sanitized”), but get their panties in a twist when a couple of ambassadors don’t take along their Baathist handlers with them to Hama.

@13 “Are not you really able to notice that Syrian regime is being ridiculized in the whole world?”

These people have no shame. Today one of junior’s sycophants said, on Al Arabiya, that ransacking the embassies was “freedom of expression”. Obviously some people still need to get to grips with the basics of the notion of free speech.

Assad could have shot back “America as the imperial power it has been for the past few decades is certainly not indispensable either to the world, no matter how many times its pretentiously deceived leaders use the word, a frequency which appears to be increasing lately even as its Empire sinks further into overextended unwinnable wars and its economy quagmires.”

If the Bush neocons were bad, what does make the Obama Leftists NewZ

The fact is, under GWB, the relationship with Syria was rather good. Syria cooperated with the US by voting against Iraq in the security council. Syria voted in favor of UNSC 1441.

Now, with the MOST LIBERAL president in US history, it seems Syria is being castigated by the Obama administration. Who would have guessed:

From our perspective, he has lost legitimacy, he has failed to deliver on the promises he’s made, he has sought and accepted aid from the Iranians as to how to repress his own people,” Clinton told reporters in an appearance with European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in Washington.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4094050,00.html

http://news.yahoo.com/clinton-says-syrias-assad-lost-legitimacy-214331808.html

If the opposition and the American really want political reform, let them run against President Assad in 2014, Taking power by force even with the help of the American and the french will not take place so, join the reform and seek equal access but win the election do not steal it .

Dr. Ali Haidar on Al Arabia:

When did Hillary Clinton obtain Syrian citizenship to declare whether President Bashar al Assad is dispensible or not.

The silly Hilary Clinton also is not indispensable, as well as Barack Bushama.

Ibrahim Kashoush, the man from Hama who sang an anti regime song, calling for Assad’s departure from power. Kashoush’s song is amazing. Listen to it here >>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTmZjzABMJo

Kashoush was arrested and killed, his throat was cut out, you could see this gruesome video of his body >>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ1h2WHwIms

If Junior keeps it up, he’ll be sealing his fate as a dead man walking. He’ll die bloody and the only choice he’ll have is where…

Mahatma Ford is looking to be thrown out of Syria:
صحيفة الديار : السفير الاميركي سيزور دير الزور للمشاركة بالاحتجاجات
بيروت..
قالت صحيفة الديار لديها معلومات من واشنطن تقول ان الخارجية الاميركية ستدفع بسفيرها في دمشق روبيرت فورد الى مزيد من التحرك على الأرض السورية وهو ينوي ان يذهب ليلة الخميس الى مدينة دير الزور وان يسير يوم الجمعة مع المتظاهرين في المدينة التي يعتبر ان لديها شراسة في التظاهر .

و الأسوأ من هيك إنو مصمم يضرب صحنين فول عند بوز الجدي على الرغم من التحذير.

من سوء حظ رفيقك السفير العظيم ما في لا بوز الجدي ولا من يحزنون بدير الزور، سووري!

This site is no longer lively and entertaining without Syrian Commando. A committee should be formed to bring him back; I really mean it.

Jad

Mahatma Ford: Hama is no Benghazi
Turkey-Iran: The new middle east economical power

Clinton has not said Bashar al Assad has lost his legitimacy, she said he is not “indispensable”, that’s a difference. So the US is not yet ready to go full blast against Bashar, especially that Mahatma Ford has found that in Hama, the people are totally useless and that Hama can’t become the other Benghazi they were hoping for.
The fact finding mission resulted in ‘eggs and tomatoes’ and some hysteria on both sides and that’s it.
I doubt Deir El Zor has any chance either. Hama was the last chance.
I think the US wants to keep Mahatma Ford on the job as they want to keep working with Syrians to control the infiltrations of terrorists in Iraq. In case of a void in Syria, their troops will become more an more exposed, unless they leave, which I doubt.

The US has realized that there is no serious organized opposition in the short of medium term. I think the option is to let the situation rot, hoping some day, some time, Bashar will go because of the economical squeeze.

The US is very worried about the growing alliances between Turkey and Iran that may threaten their economical interests in Iraq.
Isn’t a coincidence that Turkey and Iran are now calling each other friends… They are discussing how to stabilize Iraq and share the lucrative business of reconstruction in Iran that they want the US to be excluded from. Syria will benefit greatly from this alliance. They may also help Iraq controlling the stability of the country. Sunnis, Shias an Kurds. If Turkey and Iran allies themselves they can solve many of Iraq problems.
Iran and Turkey reiterated their support for Syria who is their little brother that they must protect from falling into the hands of extremists or the US.
I trust the business alliance of Turkey and Iran and very soon Egypt will be a formidable economical block.
Overwhelmed by its internal problems, the US is becoming gradually marginalized in the emerging democracies in ME. Their only allies left are Israel, Saudi Arabia and some gulf countries.
Just hearing their declaration shows clearly their anxiety of loosing their prestige and their economical power.

Darryl
I agree!
Malaw95 left, Abughassan too, Sophia, and Mina is not commenting any more, SC left and Vlad was banned for no reason, even Syria No Kandahar is not here anymore, we left over with the Zionist bunch who are spamming the comment with their useless endless and brainless whine, nags and lies!

Empty Tunisian resorts highlight woes of economy after the ouster of dictator
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=empty-tunisian-resorts-highlight-woes-of-economy-after-the-ouster-of-dictator-2011-07-10
What’s worse: An economical crisis during or after a revolution?

The Tunisian seaside resort of Yasmine Hammamet with its fine beach, warm blue sea and welcoming hotels is like a picture postcard in early summer – but with nobody in it. Europeans, Algerians and Libyans have all deserted the town in the northwest of Tunisia, which is undergoing the worst tourist season in history, like most of the other seaside towns in the north African country since the January revolution that ousted the despot Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali.

WD @ 29
Yes she did. Here is the part of the text from the State Dept Web page:

First, Lady Ashton and I discussed events in Syria. The United States strongly condemns Syria’s failure to protect diplomatic facilities in Damascus, including the American and French embassies and our ambassador’s residence. As we have expressed directly to the Syrian Government today, we demand that they meet their international responsibilities immediately to protect all diplomats and the property of all countries. The Asad regime will not succeed in deflecting the world’s attention from the real story unfolding in Syria. This is not about America or France or any other country; this is about the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people for dignity, universal rights, and the rule of law.

Despite promising dialogue and promises of change, the Syrian Government has responded to the people’s peaceful protests with more violence, more arrests, and more intimidation. These assaults must stop. Neither the Syrian people nor the international community will accept half-measures or lofty speeches. We call on the regime immediately to halt its campaign of violence, pull its security forces back from Hama and other cities, and allow the Syrian people to express their opinions freely so that a genuine transition to democracy can take place.

Let me also add that if anyone, including President Asad, thinks that the United States is secretly hoping the regime will emerge from this turmoil to continue its brutality and repression, they are wrong. President Asad is not indispensible, and we have absolutely nothing invested in him remaining in power. Our goal is to see that the will of the Syrian people for a democratic transformation occurs.

Then in Q&A. (See last answer). I do not think it could be any stronger.

MS. NULAND: We have time for two questions, (inaudible) ask two questions from the European side. The first question is from CNN, Elise Labott, (inaudible).

QUESTION: Thank you. Madam Secretary, on Syria, do you believe that the government is inciting this activity at the Embassy and kind of masterminding it? Because – and if they’re not protecting it, that would be extremely concerning.

And I just want to follow up on your comments about how, if he thinks that the U.S. is secretly hoping he’ll emerge, they’re mistaken and that’s he not indispensible. You’ve been saying over the last several months even that that window is narrowly closing. It sounds as if you’re pretty close– if not already there, that you’ve given up any hope of him turning it around. And maybe you’re not ready to say that magic phrase, but it certainly seems that that’s how you feel. If you could expand on that.

And then for both of you on this Quartet meeting today, I was wondering what you think given the situation, the Palestinians saying that they’re going to declare in September, neither one of them willing to accept the President’s markers on a state within the ’67 – some of those conditions he laid out. What do you possibly think that the Quartet could come up with tonight that could really change the situation on the ground and avoid a disaster in September?

Thank you.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, Elise, first of all, with respect to Syria, here’s what we know. What we know is that mobs have attacked our Embassy and the French Embassy on successive days now for the last several days. Mobs have attacked the residence where our ambassador lives. And we know that the concerns we’ve expressed to the Syrian Government that they are not taking adequate steps to protect our diplomats and our property have yet to engender the kind of response we would expect to see.

And by either allowing or inciting this kind of behavior by these mobs against Americans and French diplomats and their property, they are clearly trying to deflect attention from their crackdown internally and to move the world’s view away from what they’re doing and to create some kind of ongoing conflict between Syrians and people like our diplomats. And it just doesn\’t work. We expect them to protect our diplomats. We expect them to protect our embassies and our residences. And we don’t think that they are doing enough to evidence a willingness to follow through on their international responsibilities.

So we’ve made it abundantly clear that we — what we expect. We’ve also made clear that we are investigating reports about how this — these incidents have occurred and who was behind them. And we are not going to be satisfied until the Syrians protect our people, and I’m sure the French feel exactly the same way.

With respect to the Quartet, as you know, we are meeting this evening. And I don’t think either High Representative or I have anything specifically to say at this point, because obviously we want to hold the meeting and discuss in depth with our colleagues the way forward.

QUESTION: The question about President Asad and —

SECRETARY CLINTON: I mean, look – I mean, from our perspective, he has lost legitimacy, he has failed to deliver on the promises he’s made, he has sought and accepted aid from the Iranians as to how to repress his own people, and there’s a laundry list of actions that have been certainly concerning and should raise issue with not only his behavior but those who are supporting him in the international community. And we would like to see even more countries speaking out as forcefully as we have.

You attack the US, you say it is irrelevant, and you still desperately cling to the notion that they are supporting Bashar Al-Assad and hope that this irrelevant entity will extend him a magic wand. Do you guys read what you cut and paste or what you quote?

Forbes magazine in 2010 estimated Mikat’s net worth at $2.5 billion, making him one of Lebanon’s richest men. He ties for rank 374 on the Forbes list of billionaires with his brother and business partner Taha.

Mikati is a personal friend of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his appointment is widely seen as a sign that Damascus once again is pulling the strings in Lebanon.

“Syria has long recovered the self-confidence and composure it lost in the 2005 crisis,” said Peter Harling of the International Crisis Group, adding that Syria had acted on “pragmatic political calculations.” “Syria arguably has the best hand ever – combining the Shiites, the Druze, an important section of the Christians, and some key Sunni figures,” Harling told AFP, referring to the Hezbollah-led coalition Damascus supports.

JAd,

How about Shami and Revlon, I hope they have not been arrested!

As for the Zionist bunch they are still Syrians (they cannot stay away from the motherland) and one day when the dust settles and realise what their European cousins have done to them; they will want a shoulder to cry on, and it will be their Syrian brethren who will be there.

A shadow government in Syria?

Haitham al-Maleh, an 81 year-old former judge, said Monday that the opposition at a conference slated for July 16 in Damascus would form a shadow government of “independent, non-political technocrats.” Shadow ministers would also be chosen at the meeting.

“It won’t be an actual government, it will be a shadow government. It will be a regional government. Each minister will operate as a leading figure for his region,” said Maleh, who was released from prison in March as political prisoner.

Its aim would be to guide opposition movements and anti-Assad protests, and ensure the country has an alternative administration ready for the collapse of the Assad government, he said.

“The most important duty of this government will be to get ready to take the helm once Assad steps down. So, when that happens, it will be poised to fill the gap and rule the country,” he said.

Maleh was among 50 leading opposition figures who boycotted a national dialogue which opened on Sunday and was initiated by Assad, citing the government’s failure to meet their demands for peaceful demonstrations, public freedom and release of political detainees.

With the absence of prominent opposition representatives, a two-day consultative meeting agreed on Monday to form a legal committee to make full revision of the current constitution.

A final statement wrapping up the meeting said participants put forward suggestions that would contribute to building a pluralistic and democratic state to guarantee the people’s basic rights.

They also decided to keep in touch with “other national figures” who would take part in the preparations for the coming national dialogue conference in Syria.

The unrest in Syria has prompted the need for national dialogue. However, opposition activists, most of whom live outside Syria, say it’s too late for any effort to bridge the gap between the government and the protesters.

OTW

You’re right, she said it but did not ask him to step down, so frankly I don’t understand what she means.

WD

Thanks, now we agree on what she said and didn’t say.
I think the Americans are saying, as far as we are concerned, he is now illegitimate. They have not called on him to step down because they do not want to escalate. At this stage, all they are ready to provide is a maximum of moral support to the opposition. The situation is too complex inside Syria, and once they call on him to step down, they will have to back-up their call with willingness to act on the ground if he does not heed the warning. But any action has so far been rejected by most of the opposition, and no one continues to count those requesting intervention among serious opposition anymore. Furthermore, given the current situation in Lybia, and the failure to estimate Qaddafi’s strength (and those who are backing him up), I doubt that the US has any appetite for yet one more military intervention.

Remember, the US and Europe needed a symbolic green light from the Arab League to start action in Libya, such light is not and will probably never be available for Syria. But if the regime continues on its stupidity, rest assured that the west can be provoked into action. Any action, no matter what is in no one’s interest. So Mr. Assad and his Mafia, are in fact gambling not only with their future, but with that of the entire Syrian People.

ALL: Please Sources, Sources, Sources….. We need to know whether you are posting your opinion or just letting us know of someone else’s.

To WD #29 &#33
Well said.

Just wondering,if these two ambassadors are so much hurt,why don’t they clear off?
Clinton is so arrogant and condescending !!! and she is playing her role beautifully.
IMHO the uprising is dead,finito !!!
C’est la fin
khalset

Jad
A lot of us are not optimistic that there is any chance that Syria can be saved.most of the non-MB people on this site are really not pro-regime,or baathis or mukabarat like the dumbo-MB idiots are calling them,with the exception of very few who clearly say that.most of us are basically people who are against chaos.we have families there and we don’t want them to get hurt.we are against:اذا ماخربت ما بتعمر philosophy.Syria is being taken to the مقصله,we have been trying to save her neck,it dos’t look that is possible.A day by day it looks like every one is throwing oil one this sectarian fire,and whoever through water on it is called treater.Syria is very inflammable material,and what the west is doing is opening the O2 freedom tank ,and sparking it,then blaming the government for the fire.
I am very pessimistic about the whole situation,I don’t think there is any way to avoid chaos and civil war,it is going definitely to لببننه and عرقنه then بلقنه….it is depressive…that is why I don’t do it too much. good night.

I wonder if anyone of the regular pro-regime commentators here is an agent of the Syrian Electronic Army.
Syria’s secret war against the cyber dissidents

Memo To: WHY-DISCUSS

RE: “…’Syria has long recovered the self-confidence and composure it lost in the 2005 crisis,’ said Peter Harling of the International Crisis Group…”

That was before the uprising. That was before Bashar decided to kill anyone who opposed him. It’s a whole new ballgame now. Bashar will be lucky to get out of this alive…

http://playwrighter.blogspot.com/2011/07/rock-casbah-yeahhhhhhhhhhhh.html

Weren’t the US and Europe the first to encourage the right of people to demonstrate to the degree of launching a brutal war on Libya to support the “protestors”!!! or it becomes different when the protests are against you??!
I wonder why you haven’t condemned the acts against the Syrian embassy in France and considered them as “freedom of expression”?!!
Remember that no honest person in the Arab world will ever respect you if you didn’t stop your double standards and support for Israel!!

Jad
There is a number of reason: being busy is one, and the second is that it is not too tempting to post between two rows of insults or the useless Bibist propaganda. Israel was in a corner and condemned at the UN for illegal policy of colonization and discrimination, Palestinians had convinced Hamas to follow the peaceful methods of protests and were gathering countries for the vote. Now, with the little help of al Jazzara and Turkey, the balance of strength is changing.
What I hear from my friends is “why don’t we make an economic union, like the EU, after all we’re all Arabs” (from my Yemeni friend, of course, don’t tell her not every Muslim is Arab..) and in Syria, the fear of the ex-poors recent lower-middle class to have to let the good business spots to ambitious rich guys.
Instead of Qardawi explaining sharia, the Arab satellite channels should launch programmes on basic-economy and the role of speculation in the current food and employment crisis all over the world.
But thanks for giving all these articles about the daily situation. I also suspect that just like the cyber protesters have used the so-called Israel-Asad friendhsip to gather more voices (an old rumour that is all around Syria for 10 years, the worst version of which is ‘the Alawis are Jews’), the US could play smart and pretend to be antagonizing Asad just to let people agree on a common ennemy.

The statement of Mrs. Clinton regarding President Assad’s Indispensability and illegitimacy is good news for the regime of President Assad as the US played the last of its cards and has nothing else to bargain with. On the other hand, the regime has not used any of its many very effective regional cards in Lebanon, Iraq, Palestine, Iran, etc..
So what is next for the US vis-a-vis the regime if it does not fall in the next few months?
Few facts that many of us agree on:
– The US needs Syria if it were to keep its forces in Iraq
– The US needs Syria if it were to make any progress on future negotiations bt the Palestinian and Israelis
– And definitely the US can’t do anything in Lebanon if Syria does not stamp it.

So what’s next?

About FIVE QUESTIONS For David Lesch: How The Stalemate In Syria Will Finally Break Down – Business Insider [This is smart]

featured today

“This is smart” indeed :
I counted 1933 words but I have not found “Muslim Brotherhood” .

Any real Syrian living in Syria does know they are NOW the real and only problem in Syria ( and in Egypt , Syria , Libya , etc )

What is needed in Syria is a Syrian educated Ataturk
not the Erdogan AKP’s troops ,
not a 81 years old talkative lawyer not able to stand against the diktats and death threats of the MBs as the head of a government of regional sectarian tribal leaders.

It is time to convert all the Saudi sponsored mosques into something more useful like children playground , low rent housings for the poor people and the orphans of the army people , .. ( new ideas are welcome )

Going through the comments these days is not fun as it used to be.

WE used to see ideas being thrown around, while now all we see are stale comments and propaganda (i.e.: lies.) by non-Syrians, where many of them remind me of “Gay Girl in Damascus.”

example: notice now that mr. daleanderson is posting way too many irrelevant and strange posts.

The moderator is not a good idea. Let people curse, what is the problem? Freedom of speech brings great ideas, and censorship always does not help.

I want to know what did Syria No Kandahar said the other day and was omitted by the moderator?

And, why Vlad the Syrian was banned while others who said more “bad” words still running amok on this board? Banning someone for a week is not a good idea. This is against the Freedom of Speech we all love (except for the Islamists of course) and want.

This junta is now isolated domestically and internationally. It is been left with near zero options. The only lifeline (Clinton’s “reformer” ridiculous statement) is now cut. The junta is in a state of pathetic begging and confusion. The sooner they go the better it would be to all.
.

To my Dear Syrians at SC
Don’t get demoralised please,our country need us,it is after all we are facing a fierce propaganda war more than anything and the frustrated Zionist bloggers here are the most miserable peoples on earth,they are treated so badly by their government and they are finding SC as an outlet for their angers,and blaming the whole world for it,the best policy is to ignore them and continue our discussion in a positive way.
Try not to be emotional please and lets debate properly our issues,Syria will do well and it is full of good thinkers and honest peoples who want prosperity and peace for us and the future generations.
The reforms is happening and there is no way back,the speed of it, is overwhelming,people start to see the light by the end of the tunnel,all we have to do is to put our silly differences behind us and head for the future with a real love and conviction for our mother land,it is going to be a very bumpy ride but we are getting there,because we believe in ourselves and our peoples,there were mistakes in the past and we are dealing with it,fill your heart with love to Syria,she is the mother of all land and don’t forget that there was always Syria.

The mnhebak crowds here are experiencing an emotional roller coaster.
A 16 km long flag could raise their spirit for only one day. Now they need a bigger dose of flag length to cheer them up.
.

*Your comment is awaiting moderation.*

About FIVE QUESTIONS For David Lesch: How The Stalemate In Syria Will Finally Break Down – Business Insider [This is smart]

featured today

“This is smart” indeed :
I counted 1933 words but I have not found “Muslim Brotherhood” .

Any real Syrian living in Syria does know they are NOW the real and only problem in Syria ( and in Egypt , Syria , Libya , etc )

What is needed in Syria is a Syrian educated Ataturk ( aka Bashar )
not the Erdogan AKP’s troops ,
not a 81 years old talkative lawyer not able to stand against the diktats and death threats of the MBs as the head of a government of regional ( aka = sectarian and tribal ) leaders.

It is time to convert all the luxurious Saudi sponsored mosques into something more useful like children playground , low rent housings for the poor people and the orphans of the army people , .. ( new ideas are welcome )

look get this thru your heads,the poor peasents who initally protested and had legitimate grievances,and sought reforms,had their plight ‘HIJACKED” by external interests(ZIONIST/NOCON/GLOBALISTS),AND THEIR RROXY CLIENT REGIMES via HARIRI,HOUSE OF SAUD,AND GULF MONARCHIES,get this thru your heads already,ASSAD falls,ISRAELwill take SYRIA,DESTROY RESISTANCE FROM LEBANON TO SYRIA,GET THAT THRU YOUR HEADS ALREADY..STOP BEING MANIPULATED,AND LED BY THE NOSE!!!DO SOME BASIC RESERACH AND THIS WILL BE PLAIN TO SEE…THE OPPOSITION HAS ALREADY SHOWN THEY ARE BANKRUPT..BURNING RESISTANCE FLAGS?IRAN FLAGS?HOW DARE THEY?WHAT RESISTANCE HAVE THEY PUT UP AGAINST ISRAHELL TO DENOUNCE THE REAL RESISTANCE?NONE,ZERO!!!

Economy is not going to suffer in Syria and we are doing well.
http://www.syriaonline.sy/details.php?t=syria&id=1677

“Economy is not going to suffer in Syria and we are doing well.”
Sure !!
Syrians are exporting eggs and tomatoes to the US and France trough their embassies and importing Wisal TV spiritual materials.

Beside this , the construction of building without permit is flourishing and
arm smuggling is a good business for MB militia with close ties with Ibiza’s arm dealers ( in Spain near Sevilla’s INSANE HQ ) .

Professor Josh,

Getting into a fight with the US will probably help the opposition. I say this while watching events in Libya.

AMIR IN TEL AVIV,

You Isralies on here need to see Syria stepped on to get going. You need a dose of destruction to cheer you up.

The Syrian flag, small or big, will rise above all the destruction of the revolution, and the international morons like Clinton and Obama. Bashar al Assad is waiting. He is waiting paitently. When the conspirators think of stepping foot in Syria, then will he show them the true force of the Syrian regime.

I really started to suspect that the Americans are helping the president in these crises, the queen of all kings, Clinton. Announced OUR president illegitimate!!!! do they have a clue about the Syrians ? don’t they have any spies to tell them this statement can give legitimacy to any one if it comes of an American mouth? don’t she read History? or the Syrian History is too old for her to read?
And when she choose to ‘take legitimacy’ from him? After angry Proud Syrians expressed their feelings freely and throw some vegetables on her embassy!!
What a funny story! Only Now I understand why Freud said his famous quotation after visiting America: America is a mistake, a giant mistake. !

Simon, i just pass the Zionists comment and many others do , its Syria Comment ,not the place to debate or engage in discussion with them ,it will be a time and a place , and by the way dont get angry of them because they are only doing their job and we all know it.

Syrian Commando,

I hope you are still reading Syria Comment. I would like you to come back.

Not the I agree or support your political views but I know and feel your sincerity about Syria. Your name scared me at the beginning and I was skipping some of your comments but not for too long. Behind all the ” toughness” apparent, the rhetoric, and the call to kill us all ( you know, we the retarded mamenhebak and will never ever do, Zionist Israeli, stupid MBs ) there is perhaps a gentle and funny person very much in pain just like the rest of us.

This is extremely painful time for all of us. Syria Comments is a good place where you express your thoughts, analysis, and perhaps lessen some of your pain. And maybe and only maybe un- dehumanize the others.

I still will not like your opinions a bit. I still will not open all your links. I still not be nice to you but I want you back, so please consider.

الخارجية الفرنسية تؤكد قيام حرس سفارتها في دمشق بإطلاق الرصاص الحي على متظاهرين

الاخبار السياسية

قالت وزارة الخارجية الفرنسية، يوم الاثنين، إن حرس السفارة الفرنسية في دمشق أطلقوا ذخيرة حية يوم الاثنين لمنع حشد من المحتجين من اقتحام السفارة.

ونقلت وكالة رويترز للأنباء عن المتحدث باسم الخارجية الفرنسية برنار فاليرو قوله إن “الواقعة انتهت الآن، حيث عمد حرس السفارة الفرنسية في دمشق لإطلاق ذخيرة حية يوم الاثنين لمنع حشد من اقتحام السفارة”.

وأضاف فاليرو أن “قوات الأمن السورية تقاعست عن حماية السفارة الفرنسية في دمشق وقنصليتها في حلب بعد إحراق الأعلام الفرنسية ورشق المباني بمقذوفات وتدمير عربات”.

وكانت حشود من المحتجين، الذين نظموا اعتصاما أمام كل من مقري البعثة الدبلوماسي للولايات المتحدة الأمريكية والفرنسية في دمشق، وذلك استنكارا لما وصفوه بالتدخل في الشؤون الداخلية لسورية، معبرين عن رفضهم لزيارة كل من سفيري البلدين إلى حماه ومشاركتهم في المظاهرة هناك يوم الجمعة الماضي.

وأوضح المتحدث باسم الخارجية الفرنسية أنه “بالتأكيد لم يكن البقال القريب هو الذي جاء للتظاهر تأييدا لفرنسا أو ضدها .. هؤلاء الناس لم يأتوا بطريق الصدفة”، مضيفا أن “حماية البعثات الدبلوماسية مسؤولية سوريا”.

وقع الحادث بعد يوم من قيام فرنسا باستدعاء المبعوث السوري لدى باريس للاحتجاج على قيام حشود بحصار بعثاتها الدبلوماسية في دمشق ومدينة حلب واستدعاء السفير الفرنسي لشرح سبب زيارته لمدينة حماة السورية.

وأوضح فاليرو “يسافر سفيرنا في أنحاء سوريا مثلما يفعل السفير السوري في فرنسا … سيكون من الخطأ القول بأن السفير الفرنسي كان لديه دوافع سرية”.

وكان السفير الأميركي لدى سورية، روبرت فورد، زار مدينة حماة يوم الجمعة الماضية، حيث تواجد في مظاهرة المدينة التي شارك فيها الآلاف، ما دفع السفير الفرنسي إيريك شوفالييه إلى اللحاق بالسفير الأميركي في زيارة المدينة، الأمر الذي أثار انتقادات رسمية من قبل الحكومة السورية، خاصة أن السفيرين لم يحصلا على الإذن الرسمي للتواجد في حماة، بحسب المصادر الرسمية.

وكانت وزارة الخارجية والمغتربين استدعت، يوم الأحد، سفيري الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وفرنسا، حيث أبلغتهما احتجاجا شديدا بشأن زيارتيهما لمدينة حماة دون الحصول على موافقة الوزارة.

ويشار إلى أن المادة 41 من اتفاقية فيينا للعلاقات الدبلوماسية لعام 1961 تنص على أنه “مع عدم المساس بالمزايا والحصانات، على الأشخاص الذين يتمتعون بها احترام قوانين ولوائح الدولة المعتمدين لديها، وعليهم كذلك واجب عدم التدخل في الشئون الداخلية لتلك الدولة”.

http://www.syria-news.com/readnews.php?sy_seq=134860

[…] Joshua Landis writes: “Bashar al-Assad is not indispensable and the United States has no interest in his regime staying in power,” US Secretary of State Hillary stated on Monday after Syrian crowds pelted the Damascus Embassy with stones, calling Ambassador Ford a “dog.” […]

To the commentator (one person) who wished to show Israel in a good light compared to Syria, Don’t even go there. I would respond in full, but this discussion is about Syria and not about Israel’s fake democracy and abhorrent human rights over the decades.

Can everyone avoid talking about Zionism and focus on what’s relevant to Syria right now?

Let’s breath some life into today’s discussion, shall we? It seems that even pro-Assad commentators are now looking forward to what’s next in Syria. This is probably largely due to the realization that the vice president’s comments about democracy, although non-specific, were very clear. I don’t think anyone has a solution now for Syria’s security services. Many segments of the old guard will likely maintain allegiance by corruption to those who will be unhappy with changes in government.

I have a question for everyone. What percentage of current intelligence agents, officers, court officials, and other government officials are loyal to a safe, just, and secure Syria, and what percentage of them are ultimately only corrupt and loyal to themselves?

The answer to the above question is relevant and important to Assad and any other future leader that may come.

Syria’s future rests on few questions:

– Freedom of speech: will the current or future government accept the international definition of freedom of speech.

– Freedom to form political parties.

– Separation of religion from state.

– Religious freedom (including the freedom to change religion and the freedom to be whatever you want).

– Religious equality and the power of the CIVIL law.
– The rules of the law.

– Economical freedom and the law to protect private enterprise.

– The issue of equality in front of a Modern law.

– Definition of what is Syria and the relations with the neighboring countries.

And as for the security forces, I say, to make them all one force like FBI, with the help of international professionals, to ensure no chaos will take over. The security system under al-Assad is efficient to a degree, but also needed in post Assad to enforce law and order.

I really think the syrian regime should owe the US goverment’s foreign policy a great deal of gratitude
they have been talking about a foreign conspiracy since day one and now comes the latest events (ford’s visit to Hama and Clinton’s statement)
I’m not exactly sure whether the US diplomats are incredibly stupid or they receive their paychecks from the syrian goverment

Majabali

I agree with every word in your comment

State vs Regime

Samara said:

You Isralies on here need to see Syria stepped on to get going. You need a dose of destruction to cheer you up.

The Syrian flag, small or big, will rise above all the destruction of the revolution, and the international morons like Clinton and Obama.

Samara,

If the “shoe” were on the other foot (and they have been, with the various Palestinian intifadas), I recall Israel being “stepped on” by the pro-Palestinian crowd.

The difference being, that Israelis do not question Syria’s legitimacy or call for Syria’s destruction. Syria will be around with or without Assad; that’s not the issue. Let me know if you’ve read a post where an Israeli called for the destruction of Syria.

Conversely, most of those who want to step on Israel also want the State of Israel to go away completely. I say this mainly from my judgement of the participants here.

[Does the ] US Getting into a Fight with Syria Help the Syrian Opposition [ or the Regime? ]
I will paste part of my previous comment and update it:

The visit of the US ambassador in Hama [ and embassy’s “storm” ] has two opposite propaganda effects :

– for the e-activist side , they claim to be supported in their protest
– for the government side , it is a proof of foreign involvement in the unrest.

The end result could be [ has been ] a crystallization of the Syrian people in two antagonist camps , and may [ have ] rendered the necessary political dialogue more difficult [ nearly impossible ] .

Meanwhile , the barbarian MB terrorists are thriving among the naive people.

[
the US administrations and intelligence agencies have a long history of “wisdom”

They supported Ho Chi Minh ” great defender of liberty” against the French “colonialists” , before he turned against them and kicked them out of Vietnam
They supported Mao Tse Toung before he took power in China
They supported OBL in Afghanistan before he ***** [ edited for shortness ]

They supported MBs in Egypt and now they are struggling to reopen an oil pipeline to *****. [ edited by ******i minister ]
They support MBs in Libya until **** [ edited by French minister ]

Do they support Bashar or MBs in Syria ?

Samara,

“…You Isralies on here need to see Syria stepped on to get going”.

You have it completely wrong, my friend. The opposite is true. I want to see the junta stepped on, to allow Syria to raise to what she deserves. I have no wish of destruction. I’m sure you don’t believe me. It’s OK with me.

You, on the other hand, have no right to speak on behalf of Syria. No one appointed you, and you represent no one. The junta you speak for and admire is illegitimate, and represents only itself. It’s Time you and your mnhebak friends understand this.

==============

There’s nothing Mr Assad wants less than act when under pressure. Mr Assad wants to be perceived as the unwavering proud Arab, who never bends. Reforming now, under pressure, is Mr. Assad’s nightmare. If you think this president is capable or willing to change, then you delude yourself.
.

http://syria-news.com/readnews.php?sy_seq=134892
It is in Syria news, the previous goverment ,held by Naji Outri lied.
The consultative meeting,did not call to stop the repression and opression practice of current regime,and that exactly what the people are asking for.For that, the meeting has FAILED.
Managing this crisis,in the last four months, proved that Bashar is not smart,that he is not a leader,he is not pro reform,he made several mistakes,some are very serious, and he continues to work for his assad clan and not for the best of the Syrian people,he is a dictator,and not for democracy.
There are several indications that there is a crack in this regime.

“Syria Strongly Condemns Statements of U.S. Secretary of State as Flagrant Interference in Syria’s Internal Affairs”

http://www.sana.sy/eng/337/2011/07/12/357886.htm

Clinton should perhaps concentrate on her own legitimacy and not concern herself with Syria.

Does the US getting into a fight with Syria help the Syrian opposition or the regime?
I have already commented, but on a serious note,I believe that by not asking the French and American ambassadors to leave the country is a sign that they are still have some work to do in Syria.
Even if it looks like a sign of act of desperation from the Syrian government,these two ambassadors may help defusing the situation.
They would like to keep a foot in Syria, this is very important strategically, but of course the official condemnation from USA and Syria has to put the whole theatrical act into a proper setting.
If this act is going to save the country and some Syrian lives and help the dialogue in a way or another,so why not.
Again the situation is very dynamic and it is hard to predict.

One said
“And as for the security forces to make them all one force like FBI, with the help of international professionals,”

1) There is an index of United States intelligence and security agencies. In addition to the sixteen agencies which formally comprise the U.S. Intelligence Community, it also includes selected tactical military intelligence and security organizations, as well as those responsible for security responses to transnational threats, to include terrorism, cyber warfare and computer security, covert employment of weapons of mass destruction, narcotics trafficking, and international organized crime.
It is not complete!
http://www.fas.org/irp/official.html

I did not count them all , I stopped at 17 , the alleged number of secret security services in Syria
Anyone can provide the list of Syrian secret services !

2) The fabulous prime time TV featured FBI ( Hoover was a great freedom lover ) is well known for his efficiency over MB-like sponsored 911 !

The psycho 3ar3our invites Erdogan to invade Syria, saying all Syrians will welcome him with flowers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4mHmtCgr8U&feature=player_embedded

This nut also ties himself in with the situation in Jisr Alshughour and its residents leaving to Turkey, telling a caller to advise residents who have not yet crossed boarders to do so, to say he has asked them to as they have plans in the works.

Syau

Aroor is sinister disgusting and should be tried for hate crime.

Aroor would be the funniest character on TV IF there are no people with weapons take him seriously and obey his orders,
We say in Arabic, the weapon in the hand of the a***ole hurts
Example:

No. He is not a TV material. He is repulsive. ( I hope this word is acceptble to the moderator). what happened with banning Wisal TV from the network?

Regarding my question in post #57, I take everyone’s silence to mean that no one has the answer.

Here is why it’s important. Look at Iraq. Iraq is not poor, but the people are poor. The people are being bled of the money that they have. Even truck drivers going through some checkpoints are required to pay up to go through. Prisoners are escaping because their comrades paid officials off. A lot of violence continues to take place simply because all the officials Iraqis depend on for direction, security, and stability are instead only concerned with lining their pockets.

Strong institutions free of corruption are required in Syria to tackle problems and restore order. Syrian people are peace-loving and will rally to support their country, but they will depend on these institutions to run smoothly and fairly.

The alternative is too scary to imagine.

Non-partisan question from before:

What percentage of current intelligence agents, officers, court officials, and other government officials are loyal to a safe, just, and secure Syria, and what percentage of them are ultimately only corrupt and loyal to themselves?

Can you imagine if any of the ambassadors in the USA went to Florida during the famous presidential elections ballot challenge in 2000?
Would the US government accept that a foreign ambassador travel to Florida and express an opinion on how the ballots are counted or discarded? Whether the court was right to stop the counting of ballots?
What if the ambassador of France went to Florida and supported Gore’s side in having the right to count all the ballots in Florida?
The point is not whether the ambassador needed a pass from the MFA. The fundamental point is taking sides in an internal dispute and the interference in the domestic affairs of a sovereign country in a clear violation of the protocols set by the Geneva diplomatic representation rules.
If Secretary Clinton is declaring that President Assad lost his legitimacy and therefore his government is no longer a legitimate government in the eyes of the US government, then she should pull her staff out of Syria and ask the Syrian ambassador to leave the US with his staff.
The trip of the ambassador, his statements and the statements of Secretary Clinton are blatent interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign country.

Tara
If you support the revolution but not Alaaroor,it is like supporting the regime but not Assad.

Amnesia,

Is your question pertaining to the rank and file? or the elite?

Amir in tel aviv

I represent the majority of Syrians. I, like many Assadians know that Bashar is willing to change. I, like many good Syrians, know that an Israeli like yourself has no right to stick his fat nose into Syrias business. Who do you represent? Who does Clinton represnt? Who does any non Syrian represnt? NO ONE. So why do you and non Syrians have the audacity to say that you think Bashar has lost legitimance? No one cares about what you think about him. His legitmancy is as legitimant as ever. You represent no one. But you do represent destruction and condemnation. I stand by what i said and you are right, i do not belive you. Not that you care, and not that i care what you think.

MONTAGNARD,

Ambassador Ford’s trip to Hama may have prevented a massacre. It was looking bad before he made his visit. Don’t underestimate the effect it had on the internal debate raging now in Assad’s cabinet.

Kandaher.

No kandaher. I absolutely unequivocally do not support Aroor and let me admit if I must choose between Aroor and Bashar. Dare I say it, I would choose Bashar. I am sorry that still no one on SC understands that. Bashar is killing people to stay in power. Aroor is taking advantage of the revolution and wants to kill people out of hate. Hate is not why I am revolutioning.

Ahlain Tara,

In my mind, the “elite” of society can be found in low ranks and high ranks in the government. To answer your question, I think corrupted officials in both high ranks and low ranks are important to recognize.

Ultimately when the dust settles however it settles, how many of these officials and officers are loyal to country and not corrupt?

TARA,

Your comments regarding 3ar3our make me laugh. Honestly, SNK has point.

If the devil had a face, he would like 3ar3our.
They say a3war al dijal, i say, 3ar3our al dijal.
He can bark, and bark and bark. But in the end thats all it gonna be. Barking.

Louai,

King ape is a possibility. He should stick to rap, it’s a better look for him.

عرعور الطرطور

Amnesia

You said ‘Strong institutions free of corruption are required in Syria to tackle problems and restore order. Syrian people are peace-loving and will rally to support their country, but they will depend on these institutions to run smoothly and fairly.’
Wonderful words and exactly what my beloved Syria just needs.

we have to fight corruption not corrupt people , corruption its a culture in Syria ,now I know it sound wearied and unrealistic but in Syria in my opinion you could be a corrupt person without being a bad or not loyal person …I think this is the problem in all underdeveloped countries ,we need a revolution against corruption the same corrupt people will be happy if it was not corruption and they will find other ways to earn living ,off course there is small number of people will stay corrupt no matter what .

SYAU

😀 repulsive yet funny , again only if some people don’t listen to his hate crime calls…he is a disgrace of Islam and a disgrace of Syria ,we kicked him out of the country and KSA took him with open arms give him a TV channel and financial support ,its amazing how the sectarian hatred is stronger than any thing eles in KSA

Amnesia,

keef Halek, hope all is well.

I think most people would conform to the order of law and can be rehabilitated. So most of the rank and file would be loyal to safe secure and free Syria. The elite however, who robbed the country, should not be left unpunished enjoying the wealth stolen from the people.

Tara
No one:Alaaroor is responsible for many killings in Syria as result of his sytanic fatwas.
No tow,you can look at it the way you want but you and him are in the same side,you can’t change that.
No three,any revolutionists try to distance themselves from him.but the fact of the matter,and time will tell,is that the lay Sunni person in the street are moved by him,some of them out if good heart and some out of stupidity.
Even intellectuals on this site when you try to bite there fingers using him in argument(like Revlon and Shami),they deny that they even know him,how can you deny your master,I tell them,this reminds me with what Jesus told Peter:
قبل صياح الديك تنكرني

AMNESIA @76
With all due respect, I think you are mistaken in your opinion that the ambassador trip to Hamma prevented a massacre. There were many demonstrations in Hamma that ended without casulties. Even when the unfortunate loss of life happened, it was never a massacre.
For you to credit the ambassador trip, with the prevention of a massacre, is an indirect justification of his interference in the domestic affairs of a sovereign country in violation of the Geneva protocols.
The ambassador can be of help in encouraging dialog, but without interference or taking sides.
When he submitted his credentials as an ambassador, it was to the Syrian government represented by President Assad and his government.
Like I said before, if the US feels or considers President Assad has lost legitimacy, then they need to pull their staff out of Syria.
They can’t have it both ways, declare the government to have lost legitimacy and at the same time have a diplomatic mission and require the same government to protect it.

Samara,

No. You represent no one. You support Assad, that is your choice. You cannot force your choice, using dababat and shabbiha on the rest of Syrians. Clearly, many Syrians are sick and tired of people like you, and of the ideology you support. They don’t agree any more to be forced and dictated. How many exactly? this has to be determined through elections. Until such elections, you represent no one, and your mnhebak president is h head of an illegitimate junta.
.

Ever since the revolution started, it has been an imperative of the regime to get life in Syria back to a semblance of normality. We all know how vital to the state’s coffers the tourism industry is, and does anyone believe that it was helped in any way by the attacks on the embassies?

Don’t know about you, but I believe that few tourists, Western or Eastern, like to go to a country where embassies are ransacked.

Bashar continues to show he is a very muddled person, on the one hand grandly asking Syrians to support the Syrian lira, and then on the other hand undoing all those efforts by allowing an assault on Western and Qatari embassies, further crippling any chance for a modest recovery in hotel occupancies and bookings.

Obviously, attacks on embassies have significance far beyond the material and diplomatic damage they do; they send a signal to the investors and tourists that this is a country where the regime of the day does not feel bound by diplomatic laws and norms. It signals a breakdown in accountability and the notion of a society governed by rules.

@84 “There were many demonstrations in Hamma that ended without casulties.”

Something that caused the government no end of angst. The governor was fired for being too lenient, tanks surrounded the city, and security men raided the suburbs of the city. On the eve of the last Friday, residents had blockaded the city in response to the security suppression, and readied themselves for an assault they could clearly see the army preparing for. The visits of the ambassadors staved off a bloodbath that would have engulfed the entire country. Or did anyone think people in Homs were just going to sit by while Hama burned again?

Bashar Your A—- is getting HOT
=====================
U.S, France step up pressure on Syria’s Assad

Reuters News
LBA
Englisch
(c) 2011 Reuters Limited

* U.S., France step up pressure on Assad

* Clinton says Assad has lost legitimacy

* Syria calls Clinton’s remarks “provocative”

(Adds French, British comments)

By Mariam Karouny

BEIRUT, July 12 (Reuters) – The United States said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had lost legitimacy and was losing his grip on power, and France called on Tuesday for a Security Council meeting after Assad loyalists attacked the U.S. and French embassies in Damascus.

Denunciations of Assad from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and French Prime Minister Francois Fillon marked those countries’ sharpest condemnation yet of the Syrian president, struggling to put down four months of revolts that have swept the country and threatened his 11-year rule.

“From our perspective, he has lost legitimacy, he has failed to deliver on the promises he’s made, he has sought and accepted aid from the Iranians as to how to repress his own people,” Clinton said, adding Assad was “not indispensable”.

“We have absolutely nothing invested in him remaining in power,” she said in an appearance with European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

Fillon said the Security Council’s silence on Syria was “unbearable”, adding that China and Russia were blocking the adoption of a U.N. resolution, which was unacceptable.

France is seeking a U.N. condemnation of the attacks on the embassies and Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said Washington had also pushed for a council meeting which should happen later on Tuesday.

“We hope the Security Council will condemn the embassy attacks,” he said. “We want the Security Council to speak out on what has happened”.

Syria promptly denounced Clinton’s remarks, with the state news agency SANA calling them “provocative” and aimed at “continuing the internal tension”.

“These statements are another proof of the U.S.’s flagrant intervention in Syria’s internal affairs. The legitimacy of Syria’s leadership is not based on the United States or others, it stems from the will of the Syrian People,” it said.

DIPLOMATIC MOVES

Clinton spoke after crowds broke into the U.S. embassy on Monday and tore down plaques and security guards using live ammunition drove crowds away from the French embassy.

The attacks followed protests against a visit by U.S. Ambassador Robert Ford and French envoy Eric Chevallier to Hama, now the focus of the uprising against Assad.

Inspired by the protests in Egypt and Tunisia which unseated its leaders, tens of thousands of Syrians took to the streets in March calling for more freedoms. The protests were also triggered by anger and frustration at corruption, poverty and repression.

Assad has responded to protests with a mixture of force and promises of reforms. He sent his troops and tanks to cities and towns to crush protests. Thousands of people were arrested.

Western governments have condemned Assad’s violence against protesters, but their practical response has so far been limited to sanctions against top officials, a far cry from the military intervention against Muammar Gaddafi in Libya.

Britain condemned the attacks on the embassies, saying Syrian authorities had failed to carry out their responsibilities under international law to respect diplomatic missions.

“This is an issue of direct concern to the UK and to all countries with diplomatic missions in Syria. All EU member states in Syria are today seeking urgent assurances from the Syrian Foreign Ministry,” British Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt said.

The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama has steadily toughened its rhetoric on Assad as Syrian security forces crack down on pro-democracy protests. But it had previously refrained from calling on Assad to step down as it did following protests against longtime leaders in Egypt and Libya.

Washington has imposed targeted sanctions on Assad and members of his inner circle, and has said it is working with its allies to build international consensus for further steps to put pressure on his government.

Clinton’s comments marked a significant sharpening of U.S. criticism of Assad, whose security forces have waged an increasingly brutal crackdown against pro-democracy protesters.

Analysts were sceptical that the sharper rhetoric alone would rattle Assad, who retains the support of Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, as well as substantial portions of the minority Alawite community from which his family springs.

“If the Americans think he has lost legitimacy, this doesn’t mean he has lost legitimacy, it means the Americans think he has lost legitimacy,” Rami Khouri, a political analyst based in neighbouring Lebanon, told Reuters.

“When Ford visited Hama, the dynamic changed. Clinton’s remarks have simply raised the temperature,” he added.

Syria said Ford sought to incite protests. The State Department denied that and said Ford toured Hama to show solidarity with residents facing security crackdown.

Hama, a city of 700,000 people, was the scene of a 1982 massacre which came to symbolise the ruthless rule of the late President Hafez al-Assad and has staged some of the biggest protests in 14 weeks of demonstrations against his son Bashar.

Human rights groups say at least 1,400 civilians have been killed since an uprising began in March against Assad’s autocratic rule, posing the biggest threat to his leadership since he succeeded his father.

رابطة علماء المسلمين تحيي فتوى ابن تيمية ضد العلويين والإسماعيليين والبعثيين في سوريا

وصدق شيخ الإسلام وعالم الشام ابن تيمية رحمه الله حيث قال (هؤلاء القوم المسمون بالنصيرية هم وسائر أصناف القرامطة الباطنية اكفر من اليهود والنصارى بل واكفر من كثير من المشركين وضررهم على امة محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم أعظم من ضرر الكفار المحاربين)…

http://www.almoslim.net/node/149506

A Note from Ambassador Robert Ford

by U.S. Embassy Damascus on Sunday, July 10, 2011 at 10:10am

A Note from Ambassador Robert Ford

Outside the Embassy demonstrators complained about U.S. policy towards the Syrian government and my trip to Hama.
As I have said before, we respect the right of all Syrians – and people in all countries – to express their opinions freely and in a climate of mutual respect. We wish the Syrian government would do the same – and stop beating and shooting peaceful demonstrators. I have not seen the police assault a “mnhebak” demonstration yet. I am glad – I want all Syrians to enjoy the right to demonstrate peacefully. On July 9 a “mnhebak” group threw rocks at our embassy, causing some damage. They resorted to violence, unlike the people in Hama, who have stayed peaceful. Go look at the Ba’ath or police headquarters in Hama – no damage that I saw.
Other protesters threw eggs and tomatoes at our embassy. If they cared about their fellow Syrians the protesters would stop throwing this food at us and donate it to those Syrians who don’t have enough to eat. And how ironic that the Syrian Government lets an anti-U.S. demonstration proceed freely while their security thugs beat down olive branch-carrying peaceful protesters elsewhere.
The people in Hama have been demonstrating peacefully for weeks. Yes, there is a general strike, but what caused it? The government security measures that killed protesters in Hama. In addition, the government began arresting people at night and without any kind of judicial warrant. Assad had promised in his last speech that there would be no more arrests without judicial process. Families in Hama told me of repeated cases where this was not the reality. And I saw no signs of armed gangs anywhere – not at any of the civilian street barricades we passed.
Hama and the Syrian crisis is not about the U.S. at all. This is a crisis the Syrian people are in the process of solving. It is a crisis about dignity, human rights, and the rule of law. We regret the loss of life of all Syrians killed, civilians and security members both, and hope that the Syrian people will be able to find their way out of this crisis soon. Respect for basic human rights is a key element of the solution.
احتج المتظاهرون الذين احتشدوا خارج السفارة على سياسة الولايات المتحدة تجاه سوريا وعلى زيارتي لمدينة حماة.
كما قلت سابقاً، نحن نحترم حقوق كافة السوريين وحقوق الناس في كافة البلدان الأخرى في التعبير عن آرائهم بحرية وفي مناخ من الاحترام المتبادل. تمنينا لو تصرفت الحكومة السورية بالمثل وتوقفت عن إطلاق النار على المتظاهرين السلميين.
لم أشاهد حتى الآن شرطياً واحداً يسيء إلي مظاهرات “منحبك”. وهذا يسعدني، فأنا أرغب بأن يتمتع جميع السوريين بحق التظاهر السلمي.
في التاسع من تموز، قامت إحدى مظاهرات “منحبك” بإلقاء الحجارة على مبنى سفارتنا، متسببين ببعض الأضرار. لقد لجئوا إلي العنف، بعكس أهالي مدينة حماة، الذين ظلوا مسالمين. بإمكانكم الذهاب إلي مبنى حزب البعث أو إدارة الشرطة في حماة، حيث لم أر أي ضرر لحق بها.
وقام متظاهرون آخرون برمي البيض والبندورة على مبنى سفارتنا. لو أن هؤلاء كانوا يهتمون فعلا لإخوانهم من السوريين، لكانوا توقفوا عن رمي الطعام نحونا ولتبرعوا به للسورين الذي يفتقرون لما يقتاتون به. إنه لمن المفارقة أن الحكومة السورية تسمح للمظاهرات المناهضة للولايات المتحدة أن تتحرك بحرية بينما يقوم أفراد أمنها السفاحون بضرب حاملي أغصان الزيتون المسالمين في مكان آخر.
لقد قام أهالي مدينة حماة بالتظاهر السلمي لعدة أسابيع. نعم هناك إضراب عام، ولكن ما سببه؟ إنها الإجراءات الأمنية الحكومية التي قتلت المتظاهرين في حماة. وإلى جانب ذلك بدأت الحكومة باعتقال المواطنين ليلاً دون أي نوع من مذكرات التوقيف. لقد الوعد الرئيس الأسد في خطابه الأخير بأنه لن تكون هناك أية اعتقالات دون إجراءات قضائية، لكن عائلات حموية أخبرتني عن حالات متكررة لم تطبق فيها أي إجراءات قضائية، كما أنني لم أشاهد أي علامات على وجود أي عصابات مسلحة في أي مكان، ولا على أي من الحواجز الأهلية التي مررنا عبرها.
إن أزمة سوريا وحماة ليس لها أي علاقة بالولايات المتحدة بأية حال من الأحوال. إنها أزمة يقوم الشعب السوري بحلها حاليا، وهي أزمة كرامة، وحقوق إنسان، وسيادة قانون. إننا نشعر بعميق الأسف لأرواح السوريين الذي قتلوا، من المدنيين ومن أفراد الأمن على حد سواء، ونأمل أن يجد السوريون الطريق لخروجهم من هذه الأزمة في أقرب وقت، ان احترام حقوق الإنسان هو العنصر الأساسي لحل الأزمة.

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Aboud
For your information, Syrian embassies are currently instructed not to deliver tourist visas. They are afraid of a new Daniel Pearl (Harbor?)

@90 Proof please of your remarkable statement. On this website, too many statements by the regime’s supporters have been thrown around as “common knowledge”, but which haven’t panned out when examined.

MONTAGNARD,

We are having a respectful discussion. You are taking a very rigid stand (principled and not incorrect) on what an ambassador should and shouldn’t be doing. I do want to respond to your last message.

“There were many demonstrations in Hamma that ended without casulties.”

Unfortunately, this is ONLY when the security forces retreated. In the several days before Ambassador Ford’s visit, security forces were entering and exiting Hama, and people were dying. Some probably died in custody. On Thursday night, before Friday’s protests, had the ambassadors not visited, the forces surrounding Hama would have arguably raided the city. They did not, largely due to the attention brought to Hama by the ambassadors.

Even if a massacre was not in store that night, deaths were probably avoided. None of us can claim to know what the ambassador did in Hama, but what we know so far is not objectionable.

It seems the regime is continuing with its lying.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2011/jul/12/syria-doctor-odd-photo-assad

Racist Murder made Funny

For your information, Syrian embassies are currently instructed not to deliver tourist visas. They are afraid of a new Daniel Pearl(Harbor?) .

Mina,

Can you post a link showing this or is it your idea of a “joke”?

Tara and Louai,

Thank you both for responding. I agree with both of your answers, even though they differed.

Tara,

For peace to reign, there will have to be a certain amount of forgiveness. If we target the corrupt, where do we stop? What’s the cut-off? Keep in mind we are talking about A LOT of corruption, over many decades.

Louai,

“off course there is small number of people will stay corrupt no matter what .”

A revolution against corruption is exactly what’s needed, but how can we as Syrians ensure that the small amount of corruption you mentioned is indeed small and not the normal, large?

Money is tempting, and Syrian officials are very accustomed to accepting it.

I am awaiting your thoughts…

البيان الختامي للقاء التشاوري: توصية بإنشاء لجنة لمراجعة الدستور وتقديم مقترحات لصياغة دستور جديد

“الحوار هو الطريق الوحيد الذي يوصل البلاد لإنهاء الأزمة, وضرورة الإفراج الفوري عن جميع المعتقلين السياسيين ومعتقلي الرأي الذين لم تشملهم مراسيم العفو السابقة”
اصدر اللقاء التشاوري في ختام فعالياته اليوم الثلاثاء بيانا ختاميا أكد فيه أن الحوار هو الطريق الوحيد الذي يوصل البلاد لإنهاء الأزمة، والاستقرار في البلاد ضرورة وطنية عليا وضمانة لتعميق الإصلاحات، وأوصى بإنشاء لجنة قانونية سياسية لمراجعة الدستور بمواده كافة وتقديم المقترحات الكفيلة بصياغة دستور عصري وجديد يضمن التعددية السياسية والعدالة الاجتماعية وسيادة القانون وغيرها…

وكان اللقاء التشاوري, الذي دعت له هيئة الحوار الوطني لبحث أسس المؤتمر الوطني الشامل, بدأ أعماله يوم الأحد تم خلاله الحديث عن الأزمة التي تعيشها سورية وأسبابها وبحث التعديلات الدستورية وقوانين الإعلام والانتخابات والأحزاب.

وجاء في البيان ان اللقاء التشاوري ناقش طبيعة المرحلة الدقيقة تمر بها البلاد والمعالجات السياسية والاقتصادية والاجتماعية المطلوبة مع استشراف الآفاق المستقبلية والاهتمام بالقضايا المعيشية للمواطنين.

واوضح البيان الختامي ان اللقاء التشاوري مهد لانعقاد مؤتمر الحوار الوطني مشدداً على إبقاء الاتصالات مع الأطراف والشخصيات الاجتماعية والقوى السياسية السورية في داخل الوطن وخارجه كافة للتحضير المشترك لمؤتمر الحوار الوطني الذي سيعقد فور إكمال هذه الاتصالات وبالسرعة الكلية مؤكداً على أن هذا اللقاء التشاوري لا يحل مكان مؤتمر الحوار الوطني الشامل ومعتبرا كل ما طرح وقدم شفاهة أو كتابة هو وثائق وتوجهات عامة ترفع إلى مؤتمر الحوار الوطني.

ولفت البيان الى ان المجتمعين اكدوا على قواسم مشتركة منها ان الحوار هو الطريق الوحيد الذي يوصل البلاد إلى إنهاء الأزمة, وإن الاستقرار في البلاد ضرورة وطنية عليا وضمانة لتعميق الإصلاحات وإن التسامح قيمة مثلى للخروج من الوضع الدقيق السائد, رفض الاعتداء على الأشخاص والممتلكات العامة والخاصة ومن أي جهة تبادر إليه”.

كما اكد المجتمعون في بيانهم “ضرورة الإفراج الفوري عن جميع المعتقلين السياسيين ومعتقلي الرأي الذين لم تشملهم مراسيم العفو السابقة والذين لم يرتكبوا جرائم يعاقب عليها القانون والتأكيد على أن حق إبداء الرأي غير قابل للانتهاك ومصون تحت سقف الوطن والدستور وأن الحريات العامة حق لكل المواطنين, وأوصوا بإطلاق سراح جميع الموقوفين خلال الأحداث الأخيرة ممن لم تثبت إدانتهم أمام السلطات القضائية.

ودعا البيان الختامي الى ضرورة إعلاء قيمة حقوق الإنسان وصونها وفق أرقى المعايير الدستورية والإنسانية والعصرية والتوصية بإنشاء مجلس أعلى لحقوق الإنسان في سورية, مؤكدا ان المعارضة الوطنية جزء لا يتجزا من النسيج الوطني السوري, وإن هيبة الدولة جزء من التفويض الوطني وهي تهدف إلى الحفاظ على كرامة وأمن الوطن والمواطن.

واشار المجتمعون في بيانهم الختامي الى ان “توجه اللقاء هو من أجل إقامة دولة الحق والقانون والعدالة والمواطنة والتعددية والديمقراطية التي تعتمد صناديق الاقتراع أساسا للتفويض السياسي, وان سورية وطن للجميع وهي بلد التعددية بأنموذجها الأمثل”, رافضين أي “تدخل خارجي بشؤون سورية الداخلية وعلى رأسه ما يدعى بمبدأ التدخل الإنساني المستخدم كذريعة للنيل من مبدأ السيادة وهو المبدأ المقدس غير المسموح بالمس به إطلاقاً”.

ودعا البيان الختامي الى “تطبيق مبدأ سيادة القانون وإنفاذه بحق كل من ارتكب جرما يعاقب عليه القانون ومحاسبة الجميع دون استثناء, وتسريع آلية مكافحة الفساد, والتأكيد والبناء على ما تم إنجازه بمسؤولية تاريخية, وايلاء الاهتمام بجيل الشباب السوري والاستماع إلى صوته وإلى متطلباته”.

واعتبر المجتمعون في البيان الختامي ان “تحرير الجولان يعتبر من القضايا الأساسية ومن الأهداف الوطنية التي تمثل إجماعاً وطنياً”, مؤكدين على “الثوابت الوطنية والقومية المتصلة بالصراع العربي الصهيوني وتحرير الأراضي العربية المحتلة وضمان الحقوق المشروعة للشعب العربي الفلسطيني”.

واوضح البيان الختامي ان “اللقاء التشاوري ناقش مشاريع القوانين المطروحة على جدول الأعمال وهي قانون الأحزاب وقانون الانتخابات وقانون الإعلام وأخذ بعين الاعتبار المداخلات والملاحظات المتصلة بهذه القوانين للتوصل إلى توافق وطني بشأنها وبنتيجة هذه المناقشات تم الاتفاق على أن تطلب هيئة الحوار من اللجان المكلفة إعداد مشاريع هذه القوانين الثلاثة وتقديم الصياغة الأخيرة لها تمهيدا لإصدارها في ضوء ما ورد سابقا وبأقرب وقت ممكن”.

واشار البيان الختامي الى ان “اللقاء التشاوري تدارس مواد الدستور وعكس النقاش وجهات نظر مختلفة صحية ووطنية بما في ذلك مسألة المادة الثامنة من الدستور ووجد أن تعديلها يستدعي حتماً تعديل العديد من مواد الدستور فضلاً عن مقدمته ولذا أوصى بإنشاء لجنة قانونية سياسية لمراجعة الدستور بمواده كافة وتقديم المقترحات الكفيلة بصياغة دستور عصري وجديد للجمهورية العربية السورية يضمن التعددية السياسية والعدالة الاجتماعية وسيادة القانون والحقوق الأساسية للإنسان ويمكن المرأة ويرعى دورها ويصون حقوق الطفل ويحدد حقوق وواجبات المواطنين على قدم المساواة بين الجميع”.

وصدر في الأول من شهر حزيران الماضي قرار جمهوري يقضي بتشكيل هيئة تكون مهمتها وضع الأسس لحوار وطني وتحديد آلية عمله وبرنامجه الزمني، حيث تعقد اجتماعاتها بشكل دوري وفق خطة عمل مدروسة وآليات محددة وجداول زمنية.

يشار إلى أن مدن سورية عدة تشهد منذ نحو 4 أشهر مظاهرات تتركز أيام الجمعة تنادي بالحرية وشعارات سياسية مناهضة للنظام, تزامنت مع سقوط شهداء مدنيين وعسكريين وعناصر امن, حملت السلطات مسؤولية هذا الأمر لجماعات مسلحة, فيما يتهم نشطاء حقوقيون السلطات باستخدام العنف لإسكات هذه المظاهرات.

سيريانيوز

http://syria-news.com/readnews.php?sy_seq=134890

It is the economy stupid:
this is what the VP said today or yesterday.
كشف نائب رئيس الجمهورية فاروق الشرع إن بيانات النمو ونسبه كان يتم تقديمها بشكل متلاعب به من قبل الحكومة السابقة. وقال الشرع، خلال إحدى مداخلاته في اللقاء التشاوري لمؤتمر الحوار الوطني الذي اختتم أعماله اليوم الثلاثاء، نقلها موقع الاقتصادي, إن “بيانات النمو ونسبه كان يتم تقديمها بشكل متلاعب به من قبل الحكومة السابقة، حيث كانت تقدمه على أنّه 6-7%، بينما يؤكّد الخبراء أنّه لم يكن يتجاوز 3.5%”. وكانت الحكومة السابقة برئاسة محمد ناجي عطري حددت في الخطة الخمسية العاشرة (2006- 2010) معدل النمو المستهدف بـ 7 %, فيما صرح نائب رئيس الحكومة السابق للشؤون الاقتصادية عبد الله الدردري مرارا الى وجود مؤشرات ايجابية في الخطة ومنها تحقيق متوسط للنمو يصل الى 5.5 %. وشككت مؤسسات رسمية وخبراء اقتصاديون وقطاعات أهلية بأرقام الحكومة السابقة فيما يتعلق بمعدلات النمو ومعدلات البطالة والفقر وغيرها من المؤشرات, حيث أشار الاتحاد العام لنقابات العمال في تقرير له عام 2010 الى أن معدل النمو الاقتصادي في سورية لم يتجاوز 3.7 % بينما كانت تعلن الحكومة انه قريب من 6 %. وكان الرئيس بشار الأسد قبل استقالة الحكومة السابقة برئاسة محمد ناجي عطري في شهر نيسان الماضي، وكلف عادل سفر بتشكيل حكومة جديدة، وذلك بعد أسابيع من بدء الاحتجاجات التي تشهدها مدن سورية، والتي راح ضحيتها مئات الشهداء من مدنيين ورجال الجيش وعناصر الأمن.

So the figures of economic growth were not real. I wonder what else is not real. How much is hidden and unaccountable.

I see a panic in the ranks of the regime. There are rumors of an internal struggle and the question for Junior is to decide whom to sacrifice and what risk to take.

He is the commander in chief of the armed forces I would say he should go public and order the return of the troops to the barracks. This will give the dialogue arm of his offensive real teeth and will force the opposition to sit an talk.

If he can do that this means Maher and Asef are out.

More details:
البيان الختامي للقاء التشاوري: الاستقرار في سورية ضرورة وطنية عليا وضمانة لتعميق الإصلاحات.. رفض أي تدخل خارجي في شؤون سورية الداخلية
12 تموز , 2011
دمشق-سانا

صدر اليوم في ختام اللقاء التشاوري للحوار الوطني المنعقد في دمشق بيان ختامي جاء فيه.. دعت هيئة الحوار الوطني المشكلة بقرار من السيد الرئيس بشار الأسد رئيس الجمهورية إلى لقاء تشاوري في الفترة ما بين أيام 10 و11 و12 تموز ضم مجموعة من رجال السياسة والفكر والمجتمع والناشطين الشباب من مختلف الأطياف الشعبية والتوجهات السياسية في الوطن للتدارس والتشاور من أجل الخروج بتصورات ومقترحات للوصول بالحوار الوطني إلى النتيجة المتوخاة.

وناقش اللقاء التشاوري طبيعة المرحلة الدقيقة التي تمر بها البلاد والمعالجات السياسية والاقتصادية والاجتماعية المطلوبة مع استشراف الآفاق المستقبلية والاهتمام بالقضايا المعيشية للمواطنين.

وقد مهد اللقاء التشاوري لانعقاد مؤتمر الحوار الوطني مشدداً على إبقاء الاتصالات مع الأطراف والشخصيات الاجتماعية والقوى السياسية السورية في داخل الوطن وخارجه كافة للتحضير المشترك لمؤتمر الحوار الوطني الذي سيعقد فور إكمال هذه الاتصالات وبالسرعة الكلية مؤكداً على أن هذا اللقاء التشاوري لا يحل مكان مؤتمر الحوار الوطني الشامل ومعتبرا كل ما طرح وقدم شفاهة أو كتابة هو وثائق وتوجهات عامة ترفع إلى مؤتمر الحوار الوطني.

وأضاف البيان .. استمع المجتمعون إلى وجهات النظر المختلفة والمتنوعة والثرية في سياق قبول وإرساء التعددية الفكرية والسياسية باعتبار ذلك مناخاً صحياً ومحفزاً.. وبعد الترحم على شهداء الوطن أكد المجتمعون على القواسم المشتركة التالية ..

أولاً: إن الحوار هو الطريق الوحيد الذي يوصل البلاد إلى إنهاء الأزمة.

ثانياً : إن الاستقرار في البلاد ضرورة وطنية عليا وضمانة لتعميق الإصلاحات.

ثالثاً : إن التسامح قيمة مثلى للخروج من الوضع الدقيق السائد.

رابعاً : رفض الاعتداء على الأشخاص والممتلكات العامة والخاصة ومن أي جهة تبادر إليه.

خامساً : ضرورة الإفراج الفوري عن جميع المعتقلين السياسيين ومعتقلي الرأي الذين لم تشملهم مراسيم العفو السابقة والذين لم يرتكبوا جرائم يعاقب عليها القانون والتأكيد على أن حق إبداء الرأي غير قابل للانتهاك ومصون تحت سقف الوطن والدستور وأن الحريات العامة حق لكل المواطنين.

سادساً : التوصية بإطلاق سراح جميع الموقوفين خلال الأحداث الأخيرة ممن لم تثبت إدانتهم أمام السلطات القضائية.

سابعاً : ضرورة إعلاء قيمة حقوق الإنسان وصونها وفق أرقى المعايير الدستورية والإنسانية والعصرية والتوصية بإنشاء مجلس أعلى لحقوق الإنسان في سورية.

ثامناً : إن المعارضة الوطنية جزء لا يتجزا من النسيج الوطني السوري.

تاسعاً : إن هيبة الدولة جزء من التفويض الوطني وهي تهدف إلى الحفاظ على كرامة وأمن الوطن والمواطن.

عاشراً : إن توجه اللقاء هو من أجل إقامة دولة الحق والقانون والعدالة والمواطنة والتعددية والديمقراطية التي تعتمد صناديق الاقتراع أساسا للتفويض السياسي.

11 : إن سورية وطن للجميع وهي بلد التعددية بأنموذجها الأمثل.

12 : رفض أي تدخل خارجي بشؤون سورية الداخلية وعلى رأسه ما يدعى بمبدأ التدخل الإنساني المستخدم كذريعة للنيل من مبدأ السيادة وهو المبدأ المقدس غير المسموح بالمس به إطلاقاً.

13: تطبيق مبدأ سيادة القانون وإنفاذه بحق كل من ارتكب جرما يعاقب عليه القانون ومحاسبة الجميع دون استثناء.

14: تسريع آلية مكافحة الفساد.

15: التأكيد والبناء على ما تم إنجازه بمسؤولية تاريخية.

16: إيلاء الاهتمام بجيل الشباب السوري والاستماع إلى صوته وإلى متطلباته.

17: إن تحرير الجولان يعتبر من القضايا الأساسية ومن الأهداف الوطنية التي تمثل إجماعاً وطنياً.

18: التأكيد على الثوابت الوطنية والقومية المتصلة بالصراع العربي الصهيوني وتحرير الأراضي العربية المحتلة وضمان الحقوق المشروعة للشعب العربي الفلسطيني.

وقد ناقش اللقاء التشاوري مشاريع القوانين المطروحة على جدول الأعمال وهي قانون الأحزاب وقانون الانتخابات وقانون الإعلام وأخذ بعين الاعتبار المداخلات والملاحظات المتصلة بهذه القوانين للتوصل إلى توافق وطني بشأنها وبنتيجة هذه المناقشات تم الاتفاق على أن تطلب هيئة الحوار من اللجان المكلفة إعداد مشاريع هذه القوانين الثلاثة وتقديم الصياغة الأخيرة لها تمهيدا لإصدارها في ضوء ما ورد سابقا وبأقرب وقت ممكن.

وتدارس اللقاء التشاوري مواد الدستور وعكس النقاش وجهات نظر مختلفة صحية ووطنية بما في ذلك مسألة المادة الثامنة من الدستور ووجد أن تعديلها يستدعي حتماً تعديل العديد من مواد الدستور فضلاً عن مقدمته ولذا أوصى بإنشاء لجنة قانونية سياسية لمراجعة الدستور بمواده كافة وتقديم المقترحات الكفيلة بصياغة دستور عصري وجديد للجمهورية العربية السورية يضمن التعددية السياسية والعدالة الاجتماعية وسيادة القانون والحقوق الأساسية للإنسان ويمكن المرأة ويرعى دورها ويصون حقوق الطفل ويحدد حقوق وواجبات المواطنين على قدم المساواة بين الجميع.

http://sana.sy/ara/2/2011/07/12/357878.htm

Viva la Souria .. Viva la Homs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mNwgIFlZcE&feature=player_embedded
Funny must see… Homsi !

My Little Joke

My two nominations for the “Resistance Leaders Hall of Fame”:

http://www.tehrantimes.com/News/10795/05_UNITE.jpg

Sharq Al Awsat newspaper;

“Syria and the U.S. Embassy attack”

“The escalation of the Syrian regime today against the U.S. ambassador is merely evidence of the bewilderment of the regime, its weakness, and its fluctuating positions”

http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=2&id=25857

@99 LOL! “Send more shabiha” hahahaha 🙂

Atassi, you’ll love this one. Shabab Homs near the Khalid ibn Waleed mosque fight back security men and save one of their own.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5_EY3FHkdY&feature=player_embedded&skipcontrinter=1

@95 Amnesties are the norm at the end of any conflict.

Perhaps some of the attackers on the two embassies saw this as an opportunity to vent their anger for being refused an entry visa in the past!

Beleaguered Syrian regime allows embassy attacks
Tuesday, July 12 2011

Allowing attacks on Western missions by pro-regime mobs is an established tactic of the Assad regime, and is worsening its international isolation. The authorities are likely to prevent the opposition meeting taking place, apparently willing to tolerate only dialogues initiated by them and under their control. Prospects for a negotiated, peaceful transition are poor.

A conference of oppositionists will be held in Damascus on July 16 to form a ‘shadow government’ ready to replace the Assad regime, according to Haitham al-Maleh, a veteran opposition figure, yesterday. It would also seek to guide the opposition movement inside and outside Syria and anti-regime protests in the country. The government’s own ‘national dialogue’ started on July 10, but was boycotted by the opposition and featured only a few independents, intellectuals and minor oppositionists among a majority of pro-regime figures. The dialogue’s credibility was also undermined by the fact that the regime’s security forces were at the same time cracking down in Hama, Homs and elsewhere as demonstrations continued across the country. The presence of the US and French ambassadors at the protest in Hama on Friday led to angry exchanges between capitals. Furthermore, mobs assaulted the two countries’ embassies in Damascus on Monday, causing some damage to property. Washington and Paris condemned Damascus for refusing to protect their premises, while US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said yesterday that Assad has “lost legitimacy” and is “not indispensa

Aroor,Attasssi,Abood,Akbar…I think Bashar should change his last name.

Dearests Mina, Tara, Sophia, OTW, Alex, Norman, WD, Nour, NK, SNK, Louai, Ziadsoury, Shami, Vald, SC, Aboud, Abouali and every Syrian on here, DO NOT GIVE UP!
If there were a time for us Syrians to shine is NOW.
This is SYRIA that we are debating on, it’s not anybody’s else farm and we are no sheep.
SYRIA is not for me or for you or for them, it’s OURS.
SYRIA is for all Syrians and we must build it together and never let any outsider to tell us what we should or shouldn’t do.
WE SYRIANS SHOULD NEVER EVER STOP TALKING/ARGUING/CURSING, TO/WITH EACH OTHERS, we only have one SYRIA, there is no way out but to talk to each others and to exchange our ideas and to declare our differences, we all are capable of that and above all we can come up with a SYRIAN solution.
PLEASE DO NOT GIVE UP, WE CAN’T AFFORD TO BE WITHOUT A HOMELAND.
It was never about a family or a sect or a tyrant or a radical it’s about all of the Syrians, it’s about a homeland called SYRIA/ALSHAM that is in trouble so PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE keep writing and debating, avoiding each other and not writing and communicating on this site regardless how much we may disagree is a declaring of a dead community while we all are still full of life.
Keep living your differences by writing. PLEASE!

Aboud, agreed. I am interested in how that amnesty takes place, to what extent it goes, and how that works together with a strategy for preventing corruption in the future.

I second JAD’s last post.

The government story is : there armed gangs taking advantage of the demonstrations ,they shoot at the security forces AND the demonstrators in the same time to PROVOKE the security forces to shoot at demonstrators ,the aim is the highest number of casualties ,
The revolutionists story:
The government is shooting at the demonstrators .period

If you take the security forces out of the equation then there will be no casualties but that dose not prove the revolutionists story

@104 Again? How many times is his family supposed to change surnames?

@105 Noble sentiments. Bravo sir.

But I’ll let you in on a secret; I’m doing all this so someday the capital can be MOVED TO HOMS! That’s right, what’s it doing there in Damascus? Homs is the center of Syria, and the world, and the galaxy! The sun revolves around Homs, damn it, and the world’s oceans are fed by the Orontes. So there.

مسخرة الحيادية والموضوعية في الإعلام الغربي
الكاتب بسام القاضي
12/ 07/ 2011
لم يعد، إلا الحمقى، من يصدق كذبة الحيادية والموضوعية في الإعلامين الغربي والعربي، خاصة فيما يخص الأحداث الجارية في سورية! (وطبعا حتى الحمقى لا يصدقون هذه الكذبة بخصوص الإعلام السوري الرسمي)!

ولن أتحدث هنا عن قرائن وأدلة، بل فقط عن أربعة حوادث جرت معي، وواحدة أمامي.

1- إعلامية إيطالية عريقة (تلفاز وصحافة)، كانت تعيش لاشهر في سورية قبل بدء الأزمة، وبقيت خلالها حتى وقت قريب. تلقت اتصالا من إحدى أهم المحطات الفضائية الإيطالية، مع عرض مفتوح الرقم (الأجر)، لتقوم بإنجاز تقرير عما يجري في دمشق بشكل خاص.
أجابت صديقتي بنعم. وأكدت خلال إجابتها أنها ستنجز التقرير وفق ما رأته وتراه فعلا (وهي ممن التقوا مع العديد من المتظاهرين/ات في دمشق وحولها). فقبلوا. لكنها أعادت تأكيد أن تقريرها سوف يكون حسب مشاهدتها الحقيقية، شعورا منها بأنهم لم يفهموا جيدا ما قالته.
فتساءل المتصل: ماذا تعنين؟ ألن تتكلمي عن الجيش الذي يطوق دمشق؟ والقتل في الشوارع؟ و…؟
فقالت: أنا في دمشق منذ أشهر طويلة، وأتجول فيها كل يوم، وزت بعض مناطق المظاهرات. وليست هذه هي الصورة التي رأيتها. والجيش ليس في دمشق ولم يحاصرها.
فقال المتصل: كيف هذا؟ كل وسائل الإعلام تؤكد هذه الأخبار؟
قالت صديقتي: إذا يمكنك أن تحصل على تقريرك من وسائل الإعلام! أما إذا أردت تقريرا مني، فأنجزه كما رأيت وأرى..
فاعتذر المتصل لاغيا الفكرة من أصلها!

2- في يوم الجمعة التالي، اتصل شخص من لندن، يتكلم العربية، وقال لي أنه يعد تقريرا لإحدى كبريات الصحف البريطانية، وبصفتي معروف بعملي في مرصد نساء سورية، وبما أنني بدمشق، فهل يمكنه أن يضمن رأيي في التقرير؟
طبعا وافقت كالعادة.
بدأ أسئلته على النحو التالي:
هو: ماذا يجري في الشام هذا اليوم؟
أنا: الشام؟ تقصد سورية أم دمشق؟
هو: دمشق..
أنا: لا شيء يحدث اليوم في دمشق.. دمشق هادئة اليوم، وفي الأيام الماضية أيضا..
هو: وماذا عن الجيش الذي يطوق دمشق؟ وقتل المتظاهرين في دمشق؟
أنا: الجيش لا يطوق دمشق، ولا يوجد قتل فيها. وأصلا لا يوجد مظاهرات في دمشق (في ذلك الوقت لم تكن دمشق قد شهدت إلا مظاهرات العشرات في الحميدية).
هو: طيب، وماذا عن سورية؟
أنا: تقصد عموما، أم اليوم؟
هو: عموما، ما الذي يحدث اليوم؟
أنا: إضافة إلى المظاهرات السلمية في بعض المناطق، التي تطالب بالتحول الديمقراطي في سورية، هناك صراع مسلح بين النظام السوري وعصابات مسلحة وأصولية في عدة مناطق….

قبل أن أكمل جملتي الآخيرة كانت قد أطلق كلمة لم أفهمها عبر الهاتف، وأغلقه فورا بوجهي!!

3- في يوم الجمعة نفسه، وبينما أتكلم مع صديقي الأمريكي الذي يعمل في إحدى المجلات الأمريكية، كنا نتكلم عن الوضع في سورية كمقدمة لكي يحاول نشر تقرير شامل عن الوضع في سورية.
حين تحدثت عن العصابات المسلحة قاطعني قائلا: وأين هو الدليل؟
قلت له: أي دليل؟ هل إذا أرسلت لك فيديوهات منشورة تدلل على العنف الممارس ضد النظام والمدنيين من الشارع، تعتبره دليلا؟
قال: لا! كلنا نعرف أن هذه فيديوهات مفبركة من النظام السوري..
قلت: وكيف تعرف أن فيديوهات “الثورة” ليست مفبركة؟!
قال: النظام السوري معروف بوحشيته.. وهو يفعل هذا وأكثر…
قلت: ولكنك تتحدث عن الموضوعية. كيف يمكنك أن تأخذ معيارين لقضية واحدة: تقبل فيديوهات “الثورة” دون تمحيص ولا تساؤل، وترفض فيديوهات عن العنف في الشارع ضد النظام لمجرد قناعتك أن النظام السوري وحشي ويعمل أكثر من ذلك؟!
ضحك وقال: هذا هو الواقع.. وأنا أستغرب كيف أنك تتحدث عن العنف في الشارع كما لو كنت مع النظام، رغم معرفتي بك أنك ضده منذ زمن طويل!
قلت: وهل معارضتي للنظام تعني أن أعمي عيني عن الحقائق..؟
قال: بسام، آسف جدا لا يمكنني إتمام هذه المحادثة العبثية…

وانتهى الحوار! وألغيت فكرة التقرير الصحفي…

4- بعد نحو 10 أيام، اتصلت صحفية من “سي ان ان” الإنكليزية. وقالت أنها عرفت بي عن طريق مقابلة كانت قد أجريت معي في جريدة أمريكية مشهورة قبل سنة. وعن طريق صديق آخر. وسألتني إن كنت موافقا على إجراء لقاء صحفي مطول حول الوضع في سورية. فوافقت أيضا..
قالت لي أن الموافقة المبدئية من إدارة قسمها في السي ان ان موجودة، لكن تقاليد العمل تتطلب أن تجري “تجربة” صغيرة لمعرفة اتجاه آراء الضيف. وبعدها يتخذ القرار النهائي.
ضحكت، ووافقت.
تحدثت معي لنحو 15 دقيقة عن الوضع في سورية، شرحت خلالها رايي المعروف والمنشور على موقعي الشخصي هذا..
كان واضحا تحول انطباعها مع كل دقيقة تمر.. في نهاية اللقاء- التجربة، أكدت أنها ستخبرني بالموافقة بعد أقل من 48 ساعة بكل تأكيد.
وحتى اللحظة، لم تنتهي على ما يبدو الـ 48 ساعة!!

5- اليوم، 12 تموز، 2011، اتصلت بي صحفية من لندن وعرفت عن نفسها بأنها تعمل في تلفزيون بي بي سي بالانكليزية. وسألتني إن كان يمكنني إجراء مقابلة عبر “سكاي بي” حول الوضع في سورية اليوم، تصريحات كلينتون وأشتون، مؤتمر التشاور، وغيرها..
وافقت وحددنا موعدا للقاء، وموعد آخر لإجراء اختبار للتأكد من صلاحة الـ”سكاي بي” للتواصل. وأغلقت السماعة..

بعد أقل من ربع ساعة عاودت الاتصال، وسألتني إن كان يمكنها أن تعرف صورة عامة عن رأيي بما يجري. ضحكت مجددا وقدمت لها، في أقل من 30 ثانية، تصوري لما هو واقع اليوم في سورية. شكرتني وأغلقت السماعة.

وبعد أقل من 5 دقائق عاودت الاتصال لتقول لي، وبدون مقدمات: آسفة، تم إلغاء المقابلة معك اليوم. نرجو أن نلتقي في فرصة أخرى!!
ربما قصدت في فرصة أخرى بعد أن يسقط النظام السوري!! الله أعلم..

هذه بعض فقط من صورة الإعلام الغربي الحقيقية.. وما جرى مع أصدقاء وصديقات لي أكثر من ذلك بكثير.. بكثيييييييير…

أما الإعلام العربي، من الدنيا وعبر الجزيرة والعربي والبي بي سي، وانتهاء بالأورينت، فقد اتخذت قرارها منذ الشهر الأول: لا مكان لغير أمراء الحرب على شاشاتها، شبيحة موالاة وشبيحة معارضة! ولذلك لن تروا، اعتبارا من ذاك التاريخ، صوتا يعبر عن حقيقة الواقع السوري، وعن الطريق الثالث الذي يضمن أغلبية الشعب السوري، بل سترون وتسمعون فقط من وضعوا على قوائم التحريض والتجييش الخاصة بكل منها!

وإذا كان الإعلام السوري الرسمي قد خطا خطوة سلحفاة إلى الأمام، إلا أنها خطوة لا تسد رمق.

فقط بعض الإعلام الخاص، اف ام خاصة، أنجز خطوات عملاقة تستحق الإشادة والاحترام في الانتقال من التجييش والمزاودة، إلى المعالجة الموضوعية الحريصة على سورية نفسها، وعلى تقديم كل ما يمكن من أجل إيصال الصوت الحقيقي عبر هوائها..

وبخاصة أعني: سورية الغد اف ام، شام اف ام، أرابيسك اف ام، وشهبا اف ام. فلها، ولكل من يعمل فيها من أجل سورية ديمقراطية وآمنة، بعيدا عن التجييش والنفاق واللعب بالناس لمصلحة أي جهة كانت.. لهم جميعا كل التحية.

http://www.bassam-alkadi.com/content/view/618/44/

Syria no kandahar
Aroor is your boy man.. and Assad can be a good Friend of him “ Just offer him what offered to the others “ Aroor is your boy and Assad can be a good Friend of this dude “or Dud” “ Just offer him what you offered the others “

We used to have in Aleppo cinema called متواصل you go ther and watch the same boring movies over and over and over again,they used to haveمقالب غوار a lot.on SC we are having the same cinema directed by Abood Anzoor,showing مقالب حمصيه بايخه over and over and over,or showing عملية الانقاذ العصريه الحمصيه
The difference is that the country is ruined now while these اخوانجيه are smoking there shisha and having fun.

محلل روسي: الحكومة السورية استجابت لمطالب التغيير السياسي بشكل كاف

يرى رئيس أكاديمية القضايا الجيوسياسية الروسية ليونيد إفاشوف في حديث لقناة “روسيا اليوم” في 12 يوليو/تموز أن القيادة السورية لم تستجب فقط لمطالب التغيير السياسي، وانما تقدمت بشرح تفصيلي لكل الخطوات التي سوف تقوم بها وكل التغييرات الدستورية المقررة.

واعتقد أن روسيا والصين مدركتان تماما بأنه لا يجوز تقديم الولايات المتحدة والناتو أي ذريعة للتدخل في سوريا وفي أي دولة في العالم.

وأشار المحلل إلى أن ما حدث في ليبيا أثبت أن الغرب “يتجاهل قرارات مجلس الأمن ويضرب بها عرض الحائط، وأن العالم الغربي تحول الآن إلى منظمة دولية عدوانية”.

ورأى أيفاشوف أن روسيا والصين لن تسمحان بتكرار السيناريو الليبي في سوريا.

ووصف المحلل الروسي زيارة سفيري الولايات المتحدة وفرنسا إلى مدينة حماة بـ ” التحدي الكبير”، الذي يدل على “عدم اعترافهما بالشرعية الدولية والقوانين الدولية”.

كما اعتقد أن هذه الزيارة كان هدفها تحريض المعارضة السورية إلى عدم المشاركة في الحوار السياسي مع الحكومة.

ووصف أيفاشوف موقف تركيا من الملف السوري بـ”غير البناء”، مشيرا إلى أن السلطات التركية سمحت بدخول عناصر المعارضة السورية المسلحة إلى أراضيها مع المدنيين السوريين.

http://arabic.rt.com/news_all_news/news/562148

“Homs is the center of Syria, and the world, and the galaxy! The sun revolves around Homs, damn it, and the world’s oceans are fed by the Orontes. So there.”

🙂

Damashq cannot be replaced, and Homs cannot be replaced either. Though keep in mind, a successful future Syria will need a lot more infrastructure built, and Homs is the best place for a lot of it.

National Dialogue Consultative meeting wrapped up…Dialogue only way to ending crisis..Stability guarantee for deepening reforms

“DAMASCUS- The Consultative meeting for National Dialogue in Syria wrapped up here Tuesday a three-day meeting with a final communiqué asserting the following common denominators:

• Dialogue is the only way leading the country to ending the crisis.

• Stability in Syria is a higher national necessity and a guarantee for the deepening of the reforms.

• Tolerance is an ideal value to emerge out from the prevailing critical condition.

• Rejection of aggression on persons, public and private properties and from whatever party.

• Necessity for immediate release of all political and opinion detainees who weren’t included in former amnesties and who didn’t perpetrate crimes penalized by law, asserting that the right to express views isn’t to be violated and is protected by the Constitution under the ceiling of homeland and that general freedoms are right for all citizens.

• A recommendation to set all of the detainees, who weren’t proved to be guilty by judicial authorities, during recent events free.

• Necessity for fostering the value of human rights and protecting it in accordance with constitutional, human and modern standards, recommending the establishment of a higher council for human rights in Syria.

• National opposition is part and parcel of the Syrian national structure.

• The solemnity of the State is part of the national power and aims to safeguard the dignity and security of the citizen and homeland.

• The tendency of the meeting is for the establishment of a State of right, law, citizenship, pluralism and democracy based on ballots as the bases for political power.

• Syria is home for all of its citizens and is pluralistic in its ideal pattern.

• Rejection of any foreign interference in Syria’s domestic affairs and on top of which rejection of the so-called humanitarian interference principle as a pretext for weakening the sacred principle of sovereignty.

• The application of the principle of the rule of law and its true implementation on whoever commits a punishable crime and calling all to accounts with no exception.

• Speeding up corruption fighting mechanism.

• Assertion and building on what has been accomplished and with a sense of historic responsibility .

• According care to the Syrian Youth responding to their voices and demands.

• The liberation of the Golan is considered among the fundamental causes and national objectives which represents a national consensus.

• Assertion is laid on the national and pan-Arab principles related to the Arab-Zionist struggle, liberation of the occupied Arab territories and securing the legitimate rights of the Palestinian Arab People.

The consultative meeting discussed the presented draft laws for political parties, elections and information and noted the presented views and observations; an agreement was made that the Dialogue Commission should ask for the final projects for these three laws as to be announced as soon as possible.

Further the Consultative meeting discussed the Syrian Constitution articles, including Article 8 which stipulates that the Baath Arab Socialist Party is the leader of the State and People and recommended the formation of a legal and political committee to review the Constitution in all of its articles and to present suggestions for a new modern constitution for the Syrian Arab Republic safeguarding political pluralism, social justice, and the rule of law, basic human rights, and which would empower women and care about their role, safeguard the rights of children and outlines the rights and duties of citizens on equal bases among all.”

http://www.champress.net/index.php?q=en%2FArticle%2Fview%2F95646

Atassi
You are scaring me,is that real,Alaaroor is mine,I am not going to sleep tonight.
You,him,the revolution,the killing,the burning,the hanging,the mutilation,the تكفير,the شو يعني ازا مات مليون,and latelyمن فضلك اردغان اهجم بدباباتك ….you are all on the same side…I am way way way way…too far from you..actually if Alaaroor sees me he will personally put me on الخازوق….he is your revolution god father,spiritual advisor.

Malediction! Lost a post for the 1000th time.
I copy it:
Dear Jad,
Don’t misunderstand me. I have never claimed to be Syrian. I am half-French and half-Moroccan and have many friends in Syria and Egypt. But I will continue to share my view on democracy as often as possible.
I had tried to post this in the morning but for some odd reason it never went through:

There is a mystery about a link so every time I have tried to post it here, the whole post disappear!
http://www.marchandmeffre.com/detroit/#
(it is a way to ask if a ‘rich country’ can let its buildings go that bad)

After losing the post 3 times, I made a quick summary:
US and EU bankrupt. Fight between nations interests and financial interests. There were high expectations about South Sudan as the new Singapore (such marketed by Al Jazeera since beginning of last December) but now only chaos at sight. Still, a way to pressure Egypt, because of the Nile sources.
Same with Libya as a chaos at hand to pressure on Tunisia and Egypt, in case in their “pan-Arab socialist madness” they would turn too Nasserist.
Morals in Somalia: using drones in a country where a full-scale famine is now on the way. Military budget exponential versus peanuts needed to stop hunger in the world.
Don’t expect AJA to teach people on that.

Jad,

Instead of preaching to others you should refrain from calling others “fake Syrians” when you do not like their opinions.

enjoyable reading,thanks to people like Jad. I will be back.

Jad, I agree with you and I definitely never give up on my people and my nation. In the end, it is the people, as a whole, who are going to build their country and not any individual or particular group. Therefore, it is important that we all are involved with our differing views and opinions. Intellectual struggle is a very healthy way to build an advanced society, whereas armed struggle can only lead to further destruction and chaos.

I have been following a lot of the news and talking to a lot of people inside and outside Syria to try to determine what is going on and what brought us to this point. I have come up with a probably scenario for what’s happening and I believe that the only way forward is for us to accept each other to listen and talk to each other.

First of all, I think in times like these all sides tend to exaggerate facts and realities on the ground to best fit their positions. However, I think the side that exerts the greater control on the country bears the greater responsibility, and in this case we have to place the largest portion of the blame on the regime for the way it has handled the country’s affairs both prior to and after these latest events.

It is no secret that Syria has had a repressive regime since the 1960’s that has suppressed the people and prevented Syrians from truly building the country and moving it forward. The mentality of the regime was one in which they viewed themselves as separate from the people and in which they had the right to rule the people by force. This mentality is a backwards one which can only lead to the suppression of the nation’s energies and the killing of its abilities. It was only a matter of time before the people blew up from the continued repression they were experiencing. However, the most powerful figures in the regime continued to ignore the inevitable and absolutely refused to change their governing mentality for fear of losing the privileges they were enjoying.

The fact is that prior to these latest events the regime was repeatedly warned that if they do not change course, they will eventually go down and may take the country with them. They were told that the system has got to change and that they must accept and respect the patriotic opposition. They were even told that even if no patriotic opposition existed, that they should create one in order to avoid the scenario we are currently seeing. Unfortunately, however, their response to such advice was sarcasm and outright dismissal, as they viewed that a simple tough clampdown would prevent anyone from daring to go out into the street.

Now, the information I received was that President Bashar al Assad and his team was opposed to such a response and totally supported the move toward reforming the system. However, the majority inside the regime (which included Maher and Assef) continued to insist on “security solution.” What has happened in the last couple months is that the security solution has proved to be a complete failure, which allowed President Bashar al Assad to increase his power and authority and take away from the power of the more conservative regime clique. For this reason the country has been able to move toward greater reforms.

This of course does not mean that armed elements did not exist, for they surely did. And there were indeed groups attempting to take advantage of the street protests to advance their own agendas, which is always the case in such events. However, those groups remain a minority and the vast majority of protesters were people who were fed up with their conditions and had absolutely rightful demands. There will always be more extreme elements who want a total collapse of the regime and who may engage in sectarian incitement, but the regime allowed these elements to become stronger in the way they responded to the unrest.

I think it is time that all Syrians came together and set a course for their country decided strictly by their own will. We must always be weary of foreign interference and no Syrian should ever take satisfaction in the interference of any foreign country in Syria’s internal affairs, for those countries only want to advance their own interests and couldn’t care less about the well-being of the Syrian people. The regime should most definitely respond to the people’s demands and Syrians as a whole should come together and forge the future of their country before the flood swallows us all.

JAD,

It sounds good. How will it be put into action? This will be the problem (I hope it gets done, but…)

“• Rejection of any foreign interference in Syria’s domestic affairs and on top of which rejection of the so-called humanitarian interference principle as a pretext for weakening the sacred principle of sovereignty.”

Without this “humanitarian interference principle”, we wouldn’t have come this far, as indicated on Sunday by the Syrian Vice President. The government still wishes to save face, even before taking concrete actions toward reform. Let them drop the rhetoric and start making changes already.

Dear Mina,
Thank you for keeping on writing, I do respect your comments regardless of your citizenship.
It doesn’t matter if you are Syrian or not, my point was for any person with any constructive idea to share on Syria Comment and not to give up, because lately the whole site was hijacked by spam comments from “fake Syrians” (aka Israelis who want to be Syrians, see example #118) pretending to care for Syria, as if I believe anything they write or if I want to have any dialogue with them.

‎#Syria أكد نائب الرئيس السوري فاروق الشرع الثلاثاء 12/7/2011، عدم حصول أي اقتحام للسفارتين الأميركية والفرنسية في العاصمة السورية، وجاء ذلك وسط انتقادات فرنسية وأمريكية لما جرى أمام السفارتين.وقال الشرع في تصريح لـ”بي بي سي” إن “أمن السفارات في سورية مسؤولية سورية وإن السلطات السورية لا تسمح بانتهاك أية سفارة أو حصانات دبلوماسية على أراضيها”.
وأضاف نائب الرئيس السوري أن “جماهير غاضبة تحتشد قرب السفارتين، لكن قوات الأمن السورية تقوم على منع اقتحام أي من السفارات وهي تتشدد في ذلك تجاه أي شخص كان”.

@120 “What has happened in the last couple months is that the security solution has proved to be a complete failure, which allowed President Bashar al Assad to increase his power and authority and take away from the power of the more conservative regime clique”

We are still waiting for tangible signs that this is the case; a “reformist” Bashar who leads in his own style, and does not let the hardliners set policy.

Alas, as the past few days have proven, Bashar is still not the man his supporters would have us believe he is. I have yet to see a single creative or bold initiative that can be said to have come from Bashar’s personal efforts.

At this juncture the country needs sweeping reforms, not baby steps that involve the best way to get started on talking about reforms. It needs a leader of vision. Bashar has yet to show he has that vision.

Nour,

That was your best post yet.

Regards

We are soooooooooo Sorry..We did not mean it .. hah hahahaha ahahahaha ..Ass ad is Sucking it now..

Syria says U.S., France distort facts on embassies
12 Juli 2011
Reuters News
LBA
Englisch
(c) 2011 Reuters Limited

UNITED NATIONS, July 12 (Reuters) – Syria’s U.N. Ambassador accused the United States and France on Tuesday of distorting and exaggerating facts about attacks by demonstrators this week on their embassies in Damascus.

The envoy, Bashar Ja’afari, told reporters that Syria had sought to protect the embassies and that some demonstrators involved in Monday’s events had been arrested and would be brought to justice.

[…] Is the US and its ambassador in Damascus playing into Assad’s hand? asks Syria-watcher Joshua Landis. While Clinton turned up the rhetorical head a notch, President Assad must [have] taken satisfaction in the dust up with the great conspirator. From the outset of the uprising four months ago, the Syrian regime has been accusing Washington of orchestrating its troubles. According to reports from Syria, the pro-regime public has been galvanized by Ambassador Fords actions in Hama. They see it a proof that the US is acting as the puppeteer and takes an active role in the uprising. His trip to Hama to demonstrate US support for the demonstrations was the sort of provocation, Damascus authorities had been waiting for. Now it is a US-Syrian confrontation. […]

120. NOUR said

Very reasonable comment. I would like to call it one of the best comments I saw on this forum regarding what’s going on in Syria.

One thing that I do not agree with 100% is that the president might give the impression that he’s not for the security solution, but his actions speak otherwise.

Aboud said:

“At this juncture the country needs sweeping reforms, not baby steps that involve the best way to get started on talking about reforms. It needs a leader of vision. Bashar has yet to show he has that vision.”

That is my problem with this “National Dialogue” that has yet not solved anything. Recommendations are nice, but these recommendations are very old now. There is nothing new. When will Bashar act???

I agree with a previous comment that Bashar needs to go on TV and lead everyone out of this. His leadership skills are nonexistent right now.

When it rains, it pours. Keep it up people.

“At this juncture the country needs sweeping reforms, not baby steps that involve the best way to get started on talking about reforms. It needs a leader of vision. Bashar has yet to show he has that vision.”

“I agree with a previous comment that Bashar needs to go on TV and lead everyone out of this. His leadership skills are nonexistent right now.”

…and no Syrian should ever take satisfaction in the interference of any foreign country* in Syria’s internal affairs…

*except Iran

Abughassan, Thank you very much!

Dear Nour,
I agree with what you wrote, from day one we were saying the same thing, the way the government reacted towards people demand is criminal, brutal and must be condemn, and killing 1500 young Syrians is a disaster in all counts.
“I think it is time that all Syrians came together and set a course for their country decided strictly by their own will.”
Agree and I wish to see the youth protesting in the street to come together more organized so they can reflect their needs in a more proper way to save the whole country from a bleak future if they keep being scattered and separated like today.
I’m with the dialogue and with talks until an agreement breach because I believe that the solution is within the hands of those youth in the streets and they need to be heard as one voice not as hundreds.
The security solutions should be stopped in a way to keep the country safe and the protesters can express themselves freely in the streets without fear, until then the situation will stay the same if not deteriorating especially with all this foreign pressures.
Inshallah wisdom and the good will of Syria prevail.

SYR.EXPAT:

I completely understand this impression, and none of us can really know anything for sure unless we see it before our eyes. Of course the “reformist” talk of President Al Assad will ring hollow should nothing materialize on the ground. And I agree that so far I feel like there’s a lot of foot-dragging and beating around the bush. However, I am only relaying what some sources have told me. And my understanding was that the reason for the delay is that Bashar needs to increase his power and exert greater control over certain elements of the regime while weakening others. In the end, it is the results that matter, and I definitely understand people’s reluctance to believe that this regime is capable of reform.

Jad,

I agree and I hope we will come out of this unrest stronger than before. I feel a lot of Syrians posting here are justified in distrusting the regime based on its history. We need to see actual results as soon as possible. Abughassan has been causing us a lot of suspense in saying that some rumors will become reality in a few days ;-). I hope we do hear good news as soon as possible.

شاء الرب أن يخلق الكون متنوعا جدا و هدا شأن رباني !
هناك من لديهم مشكلة مع الرب ! لدمجه في ارادة و لون مجتمعهم الدولي !!!!!

رسائل نارية بين سوريا وأميركا تبدأ ببغداد وتنتهي بدمشق

الثلاثاء 12 تموز 2011، أنطوان الحايك – مقالات النشرة

فتح الاسبوع الاقليمي على جولة جديدة من الرسائل الساخنة المتبادلة بين باريس وواشنطن من جهة ودمشق من جهة ثانية. ففي موازاة الحراك الدبلوماسي المباشر الذي نفذته وواشنطن وباريس باتجاه المعارضة السورية من خلال المشاركة في احتجاجات “حماة” يوم الجمعة الماضي، اقتحم أنصار الرئيس السوري بشار الاسد التجمعات الدبلوماسية العائدة لسفارتي الدولتين المذكورتين في العاصمة السورية في إشارة واضحة إلى أنّ النظام السوري ذاهب حتى النهاية في مواجهته مع الولايات المتحدة وفرنسا، خصوصا أنّ القاصي والداني يعرف تمام المعرفة أنّ أيّ خطوات أمنية من هذا النوع لا يمكن ان تحصل في العاصمة دمشق من دون مباركة وغطاء من قوى النظام.
دبلوماسي غربي وثيق الصلة بمجريات الاحداث في الشرق الاوسط كشف أنّ الادارة الأميركية حضرت منذ أن نجح النظام في استعادة سيطرته العسكرية على منطقة جسر الشغور لخطوة سفيرها في سوريا، وحددت ساعة الصفر بعد أن أعلن الرئيس بشار الاسد عن موعد مؤتمر الحوار بين حكومته ومعارضيها، بحيث تعاظمت الخشية من عودة الهدوء إلى سوريا قبل تحقيق أي مكتسبات أو تنازلات تساعد على تقليم اظافر النظام البعثي بحسب التعبير.
غير أنّ النظام السوري الذي يجيد تماما السير على حافة الهاوية، كما يتقن اللعب ما بين الخطوط الحمراء استدرك الامر واستفاد من معطيين اقليميين جديدين، الاول زيارة وزير الدفاع الاميركي إلى بغداد مع ما يعني ذلك من اهمية قصوى تعلقها الادارة الاميركية على مصير قواتها العسكرية المفترض انسحابها نهاية العام الجاري من الاراضي العراقية، والثاني زيارة وزير الخارجية التركية محمد داوود اوغلوإلى حليفتها الاستراتيجية ايران مع ما يعني ذلك من تبدل في الموقف التركي بعد ان نجح النظام ايضا في توجيه رسائل ساخنة باتجاه انقرة أكان من خلال تحريك الحدود بين الدولتين، أم عبر الغزل السوري للاحزاب الكردية المعارضة لتركيا.
يضيف رابطا بين الصواريخ التي استقبلت المسؤول الاميركي خلال زيارته الرسمية إلى العراق، والدور السوري – الايراني في تحريك مطلقيها، ان النظام السوري وجه رسالة شديدة اللهجة إلى الاميركيين مفادها أن الدور السوري لم ينته في العراق، وبالتالي فان الاستمرار بالضغط على سوريا سيقابله تحريك الداخل العراقي وتفجير الشارع في وجه الوجود الاميركي وهذا امر ممكن خصوصا اذا ما تعاونت الثنائية الايرانية – السورية على تحريك هذا الملف في وجه واشنطن المندفعة بقوة باتجاه انهاك النظام السوري تمهيدا للبحث عن البدائل المحتملة.
اما في الرد الثاني فان الرسالة الاشد والاكثر وضوحا هي في السماح بتطويق سفارتي فرنسا واميركي، مع الاشارة إلى ان السفارتين تقعان في دائرة امنية شديدة الضبط، وبالتالي فان اقتصار الوضع على تطويق المقرين دون اقتحامهما فعليا يعني ان سوريا لا ترغب في اقفال الابواب الدبلوماسية، بل على العكس تماما فان المقصود هو مقارعة واشنطن والتأسيس لميزان قوى يسمح لها بلعب دور المفاوض بنجاح كامل، لاسيما ان مؤتمر الحوار السوري ما زال قابلا للحياة.
وازاء هذه التطورات الساخنة يعرب الدبلوماسي عن اعتقاده بان واشنطن ستجد نفسها مرغمة على اعادة حساباتها خصوصا ان زيارة وزير الخارجية التركية إلى ايران تخفي ما تخفيه من مواقف جديدة من شأنها ان تعيد التوازن إلى العلاقات المهزوزة بين انقره من جهة والمحور السوري – الايراني من جهة ثانية، وذلك في ظل اعتقاد راسخ لدى طهران ان ارهاق الرئيس الاسد لن يمر مرور الكرام.

http://www.elnashra.com/news/show/365982/%D8%B1%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%84-%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%86-%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D9%88%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A7-%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%AF%D8%A3-%D8%A8%D8%A8%D8%BA%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%88%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%AA%D9%87%D9%8A-%D8%A8

“If you take the security forces out of the equation then there will be no casualties but that dose not prove the revolutionists story”

This type of logic is one of the reasons why Syria is in the mess it’s in right now.

This was the report on the establishment of the Popular Front for Change and Liberation.

132. NOUR said

Another very good comment. 🙂

Nour,
Bashar is personally responsible for all this slaughtering and the bloodshed done to the Syrian people , you can spin it anyway you like, But the end result shows he was part of the guilty party, he is culprit figure and the Syrians intended to get a closure on his case, I hope he will get fair day in the court of law, where many Syrians unfairly tried and denied a fair trial. I have seen nothing to support your case that he was seeking reforms “ from his first speech to the third one with the dialogue game”, We can’t buy the diversion of Bashar is better than his brother….!! too late….. but I still like your comment,I think we all should switch into the path of consolation and rehabilitation of our own syria and citizenship relationship without stumbling on the Assad cult past.

ATASSI:

I respect your view and completely understand it. I am not in the business of defending Bashar al Assad or any single person. He may very well be guilty as you are saying, but I cannot know for sure what are the inner happenings of the regime. I am relaying information that I received, and I am still holding the view (maybe because I am hopeful it is true) that Bashar is serious about reform. But the coming days will tell us a lot more. In any case, I like your last sentence and completely agree that we have to end this cult of the personality and express our loyalty to our country, rather than to any individual in it.

Great comments over the last few hours all.

I was honestly hoping to spur with my previous questions more dialogue about corruption. It is one of the main grievances Syrians have, along with everything else. It is though one of the hardest problems to tackle.

When I look at other countries with similar corruption, it saddens me to see how difficult it is to overcome. However, it can be overcome, and there are examples to prove it.

The following is a quote from http://report.globalintegrity.org/Syria/2009

“Syria earns the dubious distinction of being the worst performing country vis-à-vis anti-corruption and accountability mechanisms since Global Integrity conducted its first national assessments nearly a decade ago.”

It’s a really depressing place to start. The best recent example of a country overcoming corruption comes not from Arab or Muslim countries but from a country called Georgia. Some facts:

1) Georgia used to have a horrendous corruption problem at all levels of government.
2) In the past 12 months, only 3 % of Georgians surveyed had to pay a bribe, one of the lowest numbers amongst all countries surveyed.
3) Georgia has the highest rate (in the world) by 78 % of respondents surveyed stating that corruption has “decreased a lot” or “decreased” in the past three years.
4) Only 9 % of respondents surveyed said corruption had increased in the past 3 years in Georgia – the lowest number of all countries surveyed.
5) 77 % of the respondents state that the Georgian Government has been “effective” or “extremely effective” in fighting corruption – the highest rate of all countries surveyed.

Through vast and painful reforms, with invading Russia still at their doorstep, they were able to top the world in Transparency Intl.’s Global Corruption Barometer. The president of Georgia unhappily said, “I think that their [Transparency International’s] estimation is still unobjective, because [Georgia] made much more progress than they portrayed it; but even they [Transparency International] acknowledge that we are number one in the world in fighting against corruption.”

Although Georgians now have a lot to look forward to, being number one wasn’t enough for their president.

I am not saying it’s easy. It will be painful. But unless Syria fixes corruption for good, the future does not look so bright.

Disclaimer:

The information about Georgia I posted above is from about 18 months ago.

I think the corruption issue is related to the issue of a patriarcal/tribal system.

Jad 140
Syria pays the price after having been too nice with the West:
torture on demand of anyone kidnapped anywhere in the world under the “act of terror” charges (no news for Dr Folaroor yet);
letting the US have an embassy right in front of the Iraqi embassy, probably sharing the kitchen underground; play the ultra-liberal…

And not personal greed?

A lot of other factors there are, I know.

Let’s not kid ourselves; corruption is a cultural problem in Syria, and throughout the Middle East, regardless of who is in power. To blame it on the government only is rather naive.

Passing the blame to culture doesn’t satisfy me. Every country has the tendency to be corrupt, but some have learned to largely solve it.

It’s not an Arab problem.

Abughassan said there will be good news in the next few days, it seems that bashar will declare his candidncy for another term begining 2012.
It is impossible that someone go from one extreme to the other extreme, going from severe opression to freedom and democracy,is impossible.
I agree that bashar should change his name from assad to******,he is so afraid .

Amnesia and all,

Talking about culture and away from politics. The article above mentioned owning foreign maid in Syria perceived to be prestigious and went on to discuss disparity between the poor and the rich enforced in the author view by the regime.

Let’s forget the regime for a second, I find the phenomena of ” owning a foreign maid in Syria” to be quite disturbing. I refuse to blame the regime for this. It strikes me when you go out to eat in a restaurant in Bloudan on Friday how there is a foreign maid at the end of the table. The foreign maids never sit near the family. There are always few seats separating the family and the maid to indicate what? Superiority? I find it extremely appalling phenomena and I am strongly against it. I do not think some Syrians respect the human rights of others who they perceived to be “less” . Am I wrong?

Yazan, I would like an opinion on this from you.

Amnesia
You are asking a very difficult subject to be able to tackle in a comment or even a book.
Corruption exist everywhere and in all levels of any government, be it the US or Somalia, and fighting it depends on policies, culture and affordability balance between the salary any citizen make and the coast of living.
It can’t be solved in one month or one year it takes longer than that and it needs observation, evaluation and transparency between all government offices, you can reduce it to the minimum on the public lower level however it will be difficult to tackle when you go to the higher level since relations, economy and politics are the rulers.
You can check Bogota, Columbia example of how they tried to improve their city and the corruption they got there…it’s possible and it needs will, time and commitment by all of us.

Tara,

I have never had a maid, but I know families that do. My father and grandfather probably disliked the idea. Your point is correct of course.

If you were to have a maid, or if I were to have a worker at home, they should be clothed as we are clothed, eat as we eat, be comfortable as we are comfortable, and be treated as people close to us. This can of course be taken a lot further. We can provide education, other opportunities, etc.

I wish more Muslims would learn what Islam really teaches.

Thank you JAD.

“Corruption exist everywhere and in all levels of any government, be it the US or Somalia, and fighting it depends on policies, culture and affordability balance between the salary any citizen make and the coast of living.”

I know it’s a big topic, but I wanted to hear everyone’s thoughts about it in Syria. It is a better topic of discussion than a lot of what I’ve been reading here recently.

Salaries and costs of living are important of course, and this needs to be studied carefully. Vast changes are also needed.

If I remember correctly, Georgia acquired funding a few years ago, and sacked their entire police force. They used the funding to pay better salaries to new officers, and to transition the old ones. I can imagine how difficult a decision that must’ve been in Georgia, where civilians fought battles with the Russian military not too long ago. Importantly, they did succeed.

This is why I first asked a more specific question, as to how many officers and officials are ultimately loyal to personal greed rather than country.

Amnesia,
In Bogota, they didn’t have funding as in your example of Georgia, they had to depend on their own so they looked around and discovered that Army employers are less corrupted than the city police so they replace all their police officers with Army as a transition period before cleaning the office in the city.
I’m not sure if Syria can try that or better if the government is serious about the clean up process, Syria is full of honest, honoured and great clean people that they can use without an outside funding.

I was last january in AlQaryeh Alfaroonieh,in Sabboura, i was with my wife and my son, my son is 6’4″, we were eating there, a man with his wife ,sisters and a maid who seems from Philipine, carrying his child, they sat around a table which was next to us, after 20 minutes,the man started to yell at the maid,who sat across the table from him, she was looking at him so scared,her eyes never moved,she did not say any thing, he kept yelling at her for 15 minutes,with loud voice everyone there was looking at him, my son stood up, my wife rushed to pull him down, scared what he would do to that man, I wispered to my son please we are not in USA,we had hard time stopping him from going there and beat the hell of that man.
The abuse of maid in Syria is so common, I am sure all has heared what Samer Al Masri has done to his maid,there should be a law to prevent that,we felt so sorry for that maid,and talked to many people about it, I will never forget it.

Amnesia,

It is my deepest desire to be part of humility Arab spring. As much as I support freedom and dignity, I want to support a revolution of humility in the Arab society.

Memo To: JAD

RE: “…Corruption exists everywhere and in all levels of any government…”

Exactly. And anyone who sets out to fight corruption is a fool. You might as well try to outlaw human greed. Can’t be done.

Bashar’s problem isn’t that he and his mafia are corrupt. They are, but as you said, so is everyone else. His problem is, he has no sense of “the times.” As in, it’s time for him to leave and he won’t go.

And that is why he’s a dead man walking…

http://playwrighter.blogspot.com/2011/06/brubecks-take-five-pakistani-style.html

From the closing statement of the ‘consultative meeting’ between the regime and the fake opposition:

“Liberating the Golan height is considered among the essential issues and one of the national objectives that enjoys a complete consensus among Syrians”

Ah, OK. If the matter of liberating the Golan enjoys a consensus (like, are there Syrians, apart from the regime, who don’t wish to see the Golan liberated?) then why is it mentioned in the closing statement of a meeting that was supposed to discuss disputed issues? Matters related to the crisis?

Doesn’t the regime get suffocated with the stick of its own rotten self? Seriously, the regime whines day and night about foreign intervention and all it’s been doing for now is putting on a show for THE FOREIGN nation’s sake. Make no mistake about it, the reference to Golan is meant for Israel and US, again. Something similar to flare-up the regime staged near the disengagement line in Golan on May 15 and June the 5th. This is an escalation in rhetoric no doubt added in haste to the statement today in order to counter Clinton’s statements of yesterday.

The regime itself had opted to negotiate for the return of Golan peacefully more than twenty years ago. It’d failed to make any progress there. It’d failed to improve Syrian military capabilities to stand up to Israel in any way. And now the regime wants to combine this failure with its failures to provide a bare minimum of freedoms to its citizen. How pathetic.

Akh 3aleek ya ibn balady. You were meant to live under dictatorship and corruption and have your land occupied at the same time. Now, all of the sudden, they want to liberate it. It’s not enough to trade the blood of today’s martyr; they want to play past sacrifices like a card.

And they still have the nerve to come out and speak of no intervention.

د.شعبان:لا واشنطن ولا غيرها تمنح الشرعية أو تنزعها

Tara said: “I want to support a revolution of humility in the Arab society.”

Humility and a lot of hard work. Everyone needs this.

JAD, good thoughts.

DALEANDERSEN said, “And anyone who sets out to fight corruption is a fool. You might as well try to outlaw human greed. Can’t be done.”

Sorry, but wrong. Every country with this mindset, never achieves anything. Study up.

About corruption and US visa

1) # 146
”
The best recent example of a country overcoming corruption comes from a country called Georgia
”
For sure , the interviewer in Georgia was bribed to fabricate a good report.

2) # 106
”
Perhaps some of the attackers on the two embassies saw this as an opportunity to vent their anger for being refused an entry visa in the past!
”
A trusted story from an articulate Syrian businessman.

He and his wife went to visit some Canadian friends in Canada with Canadian visas.
They decided to visit a very scenic landmark at the US Canada border.
At one time , he thought that he could get better pictures from the US side.
So he went to the US border gate and started to talk to the security officer in order to get access to the US side for a few minutes alone just to take his pictures.
At first the US officer said it was not possible without a visa but the Syrian insisted politely and nicely “the Syrian way”.
Finally , the officer asked for his passport , logged on his computer and put a stamp on his passport.
The Syrian got his passport back and looked at the red stamped mention :
” Entry permanently denied”

Majedkhaldoon,

Exactly! Walking in Bloudan, I try to turn my head the other way to avoid seeing this. We have a lot of illnesses in our society that we can only blame on ourselves. Look at some Syrians gatherings in the west. Do they not compete on who drive the most expensive car or who wear the most expensive mink ( for girls that is)?. Some of us took this pseudo pride with them every where they go to. We do need a revolution for humility.

البيان الختامي: الحوار هو الطريق الوحيد لانهاء الأزمة
http://youtu.be/hW9T5nZm0RY

@165 It is not within the power of a border guard to permanently deny anyone entry into the USA. If your friend was denied entry, that was already the case in the system. Ask your friend what he did.

In Syria , the employment of a Filipino maid is a “tradition” imported recently by the Syrian expats in the Gulf Countries.( and others vacationing in Syria )

Why not a Syrian maid ?

A Filipino maid is supposed to speak English and to not understand Arabic.
A Filipino ( even educated ) prefers to work for a salary in a developed Gulf country than to stay idle in her poor peasant village.
A Filipino maid is not a Muslim – brainwashed by the MBs – who cannot stay alone in the same room with a man ( not DSK ! )

Note: Filipino is a generic term

Clarification on @168. A border guard can deny entry, but not “permanently”. It goes on your record that you were denied entry, that’s all.

Aboud
# 168
”
It is not within the power of a border guard to permanently deny anyone entry into the USA. If your friend was denied entry, that was already the case in the system. Ask your friend what he did.
”

Never asked for a US visa before.
He was unknown in the system. ( The officer told him he has to create his record and asked for his passport )
He never went to the US after this story.

For the reason of the “PERMANENTLY entry denied” , ask your American friends or find by yourself :
https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/757/~/friend,-relative,-etc.-denied-entry-to-the-u.s.

@171 The link you posted talks about circumstances where a person may be denied entry into the USA (nothing whatsoever about being barred permanently)

To have “denied entry permanently” on your passport is pretty serious stuff. It just doesn’t happen the way your friend described it.

Once more, urban legends being passed off as facts….

Jad 109 ,as always, very noble .

SYR.Expat 141

That was a respond to Amnesia’s claim that there is no killing when the security forces are not around, when you want to criticize a logic use logic please, if you have a constructive argument I am happy to engage in a chat with you and you may change my mind,I am open minded, if you want only to criticize for the sake of criticism so forgive it I am not here to ‘debate’ with any one.
In all the Kurds demonstrations we had both security forces and demonstrators, we didn’t loose any Syrian, why?

Amnesia 75

in my opinion, The rules of the law is the answer

@174 Because the regime knows better than to get the Kurds inflamed. Your “exception” just proves the rule; the security forces *can* be reigned in when ordered to do so. It is also the reason why Aleppo has had such relatively few deaths.

Dear Jad,

I commend you on # 109. I like it. But I have a question for you:

Can you make up your mind in regard to my status? Am I true or fake Syrian? Thank you

@176 , then we agree that \’the regime\’ has no benefit of any casualties as this will only inflame the protestors, the Hamwis and other Syrians care the same way about their dead loved ones as the Kurds do , we saw the biggest demonstrations in Homs when the martyrs were tribal members ,the president ordered the security forces not to shoot because he knew better ,the more people die the more people will demonstrate ,now i am not saying that i know for fact the security forces did not shoot at demonstrators ,i would be fooling my self if i think so , what i am saying is they were in many cases provoked to do so .in Homs there is every day demonstrations (according to you) why there is no casualties every day?
‘the regime’ is not an angel but it has no benefit of killing people .

Dear Tara
Did I wrote in any of my comments directed to you personally ‘Tara is a fake Syrian’? the only time I questioned your background is when you mentioned the ‘crush’ story, that’s the only incident I can remember where I wasn’t convince of your citizenship, other than that I was trying not to get into any argument with you and to give you your space to discover this world of Syria Comment as you requested.

Honestly, I don’t really know where you are from and it’s not my business, if you say that you are Syrian then you are more than welcome, if you denounce your citizenship or your city, it’s your own issue and I have no business in your choice, it will never be mine to decide or judge, but regardless of that I did include you in my comment as a SYRIAN.

With all honesty and with the highest respect to you as a person, my impression of Tara is that it has lots of controversial issues which makes her a bit difficult to deal with, to understand and to take her as simple as she present herself:
1-From her first comment she started a little bit off that gave her audience the wrong impression (I’m mentioning that not to make you feel bad, it’s purely to make you aware of the situation that brought you to SC)
2-She asks lots of basic questions that she can find the answers by searching the net
3-She is a bit ‘questionable’ with her personal story that may give the impression of a make up stories which may not be the case (try not to share too much personal stories or information)
4-She doesn’t know how to deal with Syria Comment’s crowds (because as she wrote she never been to any blog before) so she comes out a bit odd.
5- Your English is way too good for a Syrian living in Syria.

I have nothing against Tara or anybody else on this forum, I may not like some people’s characters but that is my problem not theirs to deal with and I’m NOBODY of importance, I’m an average Syrian citizen with a heart who happened to care too much for his country and his own brothers and sisters that can’t keep his mouth shut seeing all this tragedies happening to them and to his homeland, and I think all of the Syrians on here regardless of where they stand politically have the same feelings of mine but we are ignoring those feelings that make us closer and keep concentrating on our differences that will lead us nowhere. And it happened that I only believe in reason and logic hence anything illogical will immediately trigger my questioning mode and make me reject it.

In short, Tara, ignore me if you want or say hi or write wherever you feel of, I’m here for no other reason than yours; trying to understand my homeland and to be optimistic even in the middle of all this darkness because I have no other choice.

P.S.
I apologize in advance if any word I wrote hurt your feeling or came out too strong, but be sure that it wasn’t and will never be my intention to hurt the feeling of you or anybody else.

“‘the regime’ is not an angel but it has no benefit of killing people .”

You know that, I know that, but the problem is that the regime itself doesn’t know that. When our brother Kurds come out in the numbers we saw in Dara, Dayr el Zur, Telkelakh, and Hama, then they might find the regime not so benevolent.

“in Homs there is every day demonstrations (according to you) why there is no casualties every day?”

Not demonstrations during the day, there are nightly demonstrations everyday (er, night I mean). They are short, last about an hour, and disperse by themselves. Just a way of the demonstrators letting the regime know that they are still there and pumped up.

When do the security forces get trigger happy? You said “what i am saying is they were in many cases provoked to do so”

Just once, I wish the security forces would bring along some cameras and take pictures of these supposed armed groups that are supposed to be shooting at them. I know *for a fact* that the security forces start firing when demonstrations try to link up together and press towards the New Clock. The regime will gladly kill 20 Homsis a Friday than have a repeat of the sit in that happened in April.

Tara Said:

“Can you make up your mind on my status, am I true fake-syrian?”

Tara, are you kidding? You don’t need anyone’s approval! Even if you are not Syrian 100%, if you find Syria interesting or want to discuss Syria, you don’t have to justify it. If Akhra Palace, AIG, Amir in Tel Aviv, whom I believe are from Israel or the US, can comment, so can you. Friendly reminder: not everyone here will respond and some will question your love for your country or your beliefs/religion, etc.. because they want to pre-emptively shut you up due to their own insecurities and agenda.

Majed and all:

I hear what you are saying about how some (ok, most) treat their maids. I thought I may tell you the other side of the story. One side of my family, a maid was hired by my mother to help her ailing sister. When she died, the maid cried more than my own family because she missed her so much. The maid was not treated like royalty, but she was treated like equal and with utmost respect. The rest of the family miss her dearly.

While at dinner in the same spot as Majed 2 years ago in Sabourah (invitation from another side of my family), I sat next to 2 phillipino girls on the same table and they ate and ordered exactly what we ate. After dinner they sat at a different table to look after and play with the kids (part of their job to baby sit) while we had private matters to discuss.

Perhaps both sides of family interpreted the correct Islamic responsibility and duty on them as “Maid Employers”. We are not all hopeless cases.
Cheers
P.S. I am all for labour laws including foreign maids.

Tara:

One more thing, don’t change who you are or what/how you comment on just to please another Syrian and “to fit-in.” Everyone has their style, and, actually from the few posts I read of yours, I don’t mind the personal details.

I know this platform feels like fraternity, but be Tara, Sara, or Khadija for that matter.

Ok Jad, Thank you.

To summarize: wrong first impression, basic questions, questionable personal stories, a bit odd, with no blogging history, and plus minus fake Syrian. This was better than sinister and maleficent professional blogger and all above is definitely better than a “traitor” or Israel sympathizer with subtle preference and clear signs.

I truly hope that above covered everything and summed it all up so there is nothing more in the horizon (except for the usual MB thing). I thought initially I got desensitized but I was wrong. It did upset me pretty much yesterday.

Apology accepted.

Again I urge every one to argue concepts not virtual personal impressions. And unless you have something nice to say, just please do not say it.

And Finally Jad, please do not bother a reply.

Husam

That was vey sweet. Thank you.

Don’t worry. I am very comfortable in my skin and have no desire to ” fit in”. I actually like to be different.

There is no Utopia, but you can get close

Exactly. And anyone who sets out to fight corruption is a fool. You might as well try to outlaw human greed. Can’t be done.

Daleandersen,

I humbly disagree. All societies and all governments have a degree of corruption. But it varies drastically from place-to-place. Fighting corruption is a civic duty where “rule-of-law” is in place. We should all strive to improve our respective governments, because we live there!

It is nearly impossible to improve a government if there are no freedoms.

Here in the US, people are involved at many levels and improvements happen (perhaps too slowly) all the time. For example, when a woman gets off scott free from a murder charge because of “reasonable doubt” (Casey Anthony), a number of states and localities are now talking about instituting a law REQUIRING a mother to report her lost child within 24 hours (not 31 days). If she fails to do this she could see many years behind bars.

Rule-of-law, an impartial and strong judiciary, and freedoms are all necessary to reduce corruption. It takes a determined society to bring this about, and the rewards are extremely tangible.

@128 Aboud
‘At this juncture the country needs sweeping reforms, not baby steps that involve the best way to get started on talking about reforms.’
Very true , but dose the opposition have any vision? They don’t even have a leader let a lone a leader with vision
‘It needs a leader of vision. Bashar has yet to show he has that vision.’
What about the 3rd speech? He said everything we never dreamed we will hear in Syria, article 8! All the constitution! He acknowledged all the people’s demands and Needs and admitted that Syria CAN NOT AND SHOULD NOT go back as it was four month ago

Success is not about having vision and being courageous with a good strategic plan only ,you need to adapt for change ,’the regime’ showed flexibility and adaptability that I didn’t expected to exist but the opposition showed non ,they are only stubborn and repeating ‘the people want to topple the regime’ بدكن العنب ولا بدكن تقاتلو الناطور?
I think the president hijacked the revolution and he is leading the change already, the opposition have all the right to stay pressuring (peacefully off course ) the the government have all the right to keep on chasing the terrorists (who did hijack the revolution already)

Tara 154
Add to your disgust that the way to call the boss of the foreign maid in English is “master”. (I’ve heard a boss asking a foreign maid who was meeting his own foreign maid: “who is your master?”)
Lebanon, Syria, Gulf countries, the road will be long to democracy. It starts with banning slavery and feudal practices. End of the grey econonomy. Registration of anyone who work. Health insurance and benefits.

150 Amnesia
Of course personal greed first, but then the reason why the person does not see it as wrong to mix his personal greed in his work and ruin a whole system (meaning: if everybody does like me, the system can’t work) is because he is used to have some ‘special rights’: be the man, be the shaykh, be the son of the shaykh.
When you see poor people giving all they have to a church who has plenty already or to a shaykh because they think he has baraka, you see that there is something wrong from the person ‘in power’ to accept it. This is also corruption. Not only bribes.
It is certainly not limited to the Arab world (South America, Asia etc.) but check, it is always were men have the upper hand on women.

172. Aboud said:
“”
@171 The link you posted talks about circumstances where a person may be denied entry into the USA (nothing whatsoever about being barred permanently)

To have “denied entry permanently” on your passport is pretty serious stuff. It just doesn’t happen the way your friend described it.

Once more, urban legends being passed off as facts….
“”
At # 168 you said that it was impossible.

Now you say it is an urban legend but you are not able to prove it.

Next you will say that I am a liar and this was not the case of the person I mentioned.

Anyway, I will not argue with you about the color of the stamp or the exact mention on the passport ( the end result is the same ), it was about the corruption and its cultural root
and you fail to understand it:

A Syrian way of negotiating perfectly suited in Syria in Asia and in Europe gets you in trouble in the US.

He uses to say jokingly of this person that
if a passerby in the street asks him for the time , he will start a dialogue and , after 10 minutes , he is the passerby’s best friend and he have convinced him to buy a factory of Homsi watch.